Charles Edward "Ed" Leslie, 84, of Marshall, MO, went to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Ed passed away at home in the presence of his wife of 40 years, Wendy Merliss Leslie.
Funeral services will be held at 3:00 p.m. Friday, June 7, 2024, at Campbell-Lewis Chapel in Marshall with William W. Harlow officiating. Burial will follow in Ridge Park Cemetery. Visitation will be from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Friday at the funeral home. Memorials are suggested to Missouri Valley College and an online guestbook is available at www.campbell-lewis.com
Ed was born on December 20th, 1939, in Harrisonville, Missouri to the late Edgar and Oma (Mcgee) Leslie. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brother Jerome “Jerry” Leslie. Ed is survived by his wife Wendy, his children, Julie Steffens (Brian) of Marshall, Joy Vandel (Phil) of St. Joseph, Amanda Schulte (AJ) of Kansas City, his grandchildren, Megan Steffens, Kristin Boynton (Harrison), Kylie Steffens, Kolton Steffens, Hallie Ford (Spencer), Faith Vandel, Leslie Schulte, Austin Schulte, Madison Schulte and great-granddaughter Laurel Ford. Ed also leaves behind his loving caregiver of 10 years, Pat Hostetter.
Ed graduated from Southeast High School in Kansas City, Missouri in 1957 and graduated from Missouri Valley College (MVC/Valley) in 1961. As a student at Valley, Ed was a 4-year letterman in track and field, and manager of the football team during the 1958, 59, and 60 seasons. He was the vice-president of the student body from 1959-1960. From 1960-1961 Ed was the president of the senior class, President of the Independent Men’s Organization, Vice President of the V-Club and was recognized in the Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges.
It was also while Ed was a student at Valley, that he co-organized and was the first runner of the first torch run during Homecoming 1958. He also co-organized and was a major participant in the 1,285-mile torch run from Marshall to Orlando, Florida from December 18th-24th, 1958 to kick off the Tangerine Bowl football game where the Viking football team competed. Ed continued to plan, organize and participate in annual MVC Torch Runs until 2014. After Ed’s retirement in 2014, the Torch Run was reorganized into the Ed Leslie Inaugural 5K Run, and continues to kick off the Homecoming festivities every year at Valley.
Ed was an embodiment off the Viking Spirit at a young age. He learned early on as a student to love Valley thru the inspiration of the late great Pop Ferguson and Ed himself became a living legend and built a legacy for the multiple generations of students he taught.
Ed began teaching at Valley in 1962 and completed his Master of Science degree from the University of Rolla in summer of 1963. In the mid to late 70’s, Ed established the baseline of the Computer Sciences degree at Valley. He was the core architect for the transition of the math department into the world of computer sciences at the beginning of the computer age.
From 1979-1987, Ed left Valley to work in Dallas, Texas. It was during this time, he traveled to Alaska for a conference, where he met his wife Wendy, who was living in Alaska at the time. Ed and Wendy were married in Fairbanks in 1983 and soon moved back to Dallas for a short time. However, as Ed always had Viking in his blood, his heartstrings tugged him back to the Missouri Valley campus. He taught math and computer science, along with coaching football, track and cross country over the course of his many years there. Ed served as the official scorekeeper for the men’s varsity basketball games for more than 40 years. Ed was an avid supporter of the Viking football team and was famous for driving his 1929 Ford Model A “Henrietta” around Gregg-Mitchell Field during football season after every Viking touchdown. He also sponsored the V-Club for varsity athletes for many years in addition to his service in countless areas throughout the community of Marshall.
In 1981, Ed was honored as an Outstanding Alumnus of MVC, and in 1993 he received the John McCallum Excellence in Teaching Award and the Missouri State Governor's Award for excellence in teaching. In 2000, Ed was inducted into the MVC Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2008, the Ed Leslie Lamp of Knowledge Award was established and is awarded annually to one outstanding senior scholar at MVC. There has been a steady flow of admiration and appreciation for the impact Ed made on generations of students. Many students felt Ed was responsible for their personal successes. An Endowment Scholarship in Ed’s name was recently founded by two such former students.
After 44 years of service to MVC, Ed was presented with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters in 2015.
One of Ed’s biggest hobbies was woodworking. He enjoyed building things including swingsets, playhouses, a cradle, bunkbeds, wooden toys and puzzles and toy boxes for his children and grandchildren. He even made what he called “Papa Ducks” which were wooden duck toys with leather feet that spun and flapped as the Valley Family kids pushed them across the basketball court at halftime of the Viking basketball games.
It was through all of these things that Ed made such a massive lasting impact on the lives of countless students, co-workers, family and friends.
“When the Sun goes down, and the Moon comes up, Valley Will Roll”
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