Leonard “Jack” Throne

Leonard “Jack” Throne passed peacefully from this earth on September 6, 2026, at the age of 95, after a brief illness.

He is survived by his wife of 73 years Joanne Throne, his son Larry and his wife Melba; his grandchildren: Joy Tapley and her husband John, Danika Throne, Mikayla Middleton and her husband Tyler; and two great-grandchildren Hannah and James Tapley.

Jack and Joanne both grew up in Springfield, Missouri, attending Senior High School.  Jack went into the Air Force in 1950 and came back home for the Christmas of 1951.  He and Joanne had their first date on Christmas Eve, and twelve dates later they got married in Springfield on August 3, 1952, on a three-day pass.  Jack held various positions in the Air Force and told many stories about his time as a tail gunner on a B-29 and about interactions with his commanding officers. In later years Jack would wear different military caps to spark conversations with other veterans and people thankful for his service.  He so enjoyed those conversations.

After the Air Force Jack held various positions, nearly all related to electronics in some way.  His longest positions were at Western Electric building telephone offices and when he retired from there, he spent 18 years at Mercy Hospital installing phone lines.  If you’ve made a call on a landline in southwest Missouri, you have likely communicated using equipment he built.

When Larry was young Jack spent a lot of time on the road with Western Electric but would come home on weekends whenever possible. He was also a leader in Larry’s BSA Troop #198.  Later, he took up gardening, and he especially loved growing his tomatoes each year, planting as many as seventy-five at a time.  He furnished his family, church and pretty much anyone else who would take them with tomatoes and other vegetables over the years.  He and Joanne soon began working in ceramics and did craft shows for many years. Even the nativity set used at Hillcrest Presbyterian was crafted by them. He was very active in the church, serving in several capacities up through his eighties. He even installed the phone system still being used at Hillcrest. All of his family agree that he was so incredibly smart and that he never stopped learning. He loved his family fiercely, especially his wife, and tended to show it through humor and by giving them a hard time.

A veteran ceremony with full military honors and full Masonic rites will take place at Hillcrest Presbyterian Church on 9/10/2026 with visitation at 12 pm and service beginning at 1pm. This will be followed by a graveside service at Greenlawn Cemetery.