Leesa Lynn Powell Silvers, of Fort Scott, died Thursday, Feb. 17, 2022, in Fort Scott at the age of 70. As many of her friends and family knew, Leesa was generous, kind and loving, and would often forego her needs to ensure those around her were taken care of. She was also very forthcoming, honest and a listening ear when someone needed it most.
Leesa was a fighter who battled through various illnesses in recent years. She would eventually bounce back with the same determination and spunk she always had. But sickness also took its toll, primarily on her body while her mind and spirit often remained vibrant.
In recent years, Leesa was in a great deal of pain, and the family is grateful that her spirit can rest easy now that her body is free of pain. Now there is lasting comfort and peace for a woman who gave her all to make sure her friends and family’s needs were met. She would give you the shirt off her back, or her last dime, while she went without. We will miss her smile and laugh, her witty remarks and her often risqué sense of humor, but we will learn to live with the love she left behind and know that her spirit is with us as she continues to guide those she loved.
Leesa was born Jan. 7, 1952, to Wallace Eugene Powell, Jr., and Norma Jeane Powell (Barnett) in Independence, Mo. With her dad being a golf professional, Leesa and the family moved from place to place throughout the Midwest during her younger years.
Leesa graduated from Neosho High School in 1970. She eventually went to beauty school and became a licensed cosmetologist after earning a certificate at Fort Scott Community College, working in Kansas and Missouri.
She was a carefree spirit who lived life on her terms. She loved Mountain Dew, iced tea, cheese and crackers and her fuzzy socks, among several other things she treasured. Many a laugh or “wow” were shared over stories of her youth, whether it was attending the Woodstock music festival in the late 1960s, or a hitchhiking adventure shortly after getting married. Even on her sickest days, she could make you laugh with a clever observation.
She married Danny Silvers in 1972 and the couple had two children, a son, Danny, Jr., who was stillborn in 1972, and Jason Eugene Silvers of Fort Scott, who was born in 1974. She was in a relationship with John Coleman in the mid-1980s and the couple gave birth to Leesa’s third child, Kasee Johnel Coleman Howard of Fort Scott, in 1985.
Leesa loved all things related to food and cooking, and could often be found watching the Food Network, with “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives,” “Chopped,” and “The Pioneer Woman” among her favorite shows. She also enjoyed arts and crafts and passed her skills on to her children and grandchildren. She loved helping her grandchildren with their projects.
In the 1990s, Leesa went back to school. She earned a two-year degree at FSCC in 1992 before venturing on to earn a bachelor’s degree in social work from Pittsburg State University in 1994. She briefly worked as a social worker in Mound City before leaving to pursue other ventures. She continued to show her love for helping youth in need by working for several years at Heartland Behavioral Health Services in Nevada, Mo., in the mid-to-late 1990s. Leesa worked as pageant director for America’s Youth Showcase and AmeriKids from about 2000 to 2005.
Leesa’s smile and personality lit up a room, and she drew people to her. She was engaging, loyal and funny, and often had a knack for being brutally honest. Leesa would “tell you like it is.” But if you were in her circle of family and friends, her love knew no bounds. Strangers were also on the receiving end of this love. A decline in her health led to several hospital stays in recent years. While she was often able to return home, her health issues led to a stay in Medicalodges of Fort Scott, which was her home for nearly the last year. But her spirit and willpower retained their strength as she fought many hardships through her love for her grandchildren, as she would say.
Leesa was preceded in death by a son, Danny Silvers, Jr.; her parents, Wally Powell (2012) and Norma Powell (2004); and a brother, Larry Powell (2011.) Survivors include a son, Jason E. Silvers; a daughter, Kasee Howard; six grandchildren, Braeden (Brady) Silvers, Kenli Coleman, Kaeda Stufflebeam, Kai Powell, Kross Powell and Krymsyn Howard; as well as many other treasured family and friends.
Following cremation, a memorial service is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be sent to Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home in Leesa’s honor to help with funeral expenses. Condolences may be submitted to the online guestbook at konantz-cheney.com.