Staff

Our dedicated staff members are here to provide support, compassion, and information to help you through your journey of grief and the celebration of your loved one’s life.


Kevin, Sue, Connie and Richard


Connie and Richard Slade

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Richard Slade Funeral Director

Richard Slade is a third generation Slade Family funeral director.  He grew up in Leon and graduated from Central Decatur High School.  He continued his education at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa and University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, before graduating from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in Dallas, Texas in 1980.  He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in both Iowa and Missouri.  He is an avid music enthusiast who enjoys listening to and playing a variety of music.  He has played guitar in local bands for several decades.  For Richard, being a funeral director is more of a way of life than a job.  He married Connie Mensing in 1987.  They have two sons, Stephen and Thomas Slade.

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Connie Slade

Connie was born and grew up in Greenfield, Iowa.  She graduated from Greenfield High School and also Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.  Following training for medical technology, she moved to Leon, Iowa to work at the Decatur County Hospital medical laboratory.  She met Richard Slade and after a six-year courtship the two were married in Leon in 1987.  Connie began working at the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home in 1989, before their two sons, Stephen and Thomas, were born.  When she is not working, she enjoys time with her family, projects at home, and the outdoors.

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Sue Kelly

Sue was born and grew up right here in Leon, Iowa.  Between her sophomore and junior year of high school, the family, parents - Jack and Helen Cross, sister Martha, and brother David, moved to Aurora, Colorado.  After school she got her diploma from Parks Business College in Denver.  A little bit of wanderlust set in, as she lived in Miami, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Casper, WY, and Kansas City only to find herself moving back home to Leon after retirement.  Most of her working life was spent employed at TWA, Northwest Airlines, and Delta Airlines. In addition to helping out at the funeral home, she enjoys doing volunteer work. She is currently involved with the Community Meal Program (Meals on Wheels) and the New-2-U store in Leon. Home life in Leon includes her wonderful husband, Jerry Kelly, and too many cats.

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Kevin Frost

Kevin grew up in Leon and graduated from Central Decatur High School.  He earned an associate’s degree from Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.  Sports have always been a very big part of his life, playing basketball and baseball while in school.  He also is an avid golfer.  He currently officiates volleyball, football, basketball, track, softball, and baseball.  After working for the Decatur County Hospital for over 35 years, Kevin retired as a paramedic and the Ambulance Director.  When he is not helping at the funeral home, he also sells real estate for Stoney Oak Properties in Osceola, Iowa.  Kevin and wife, Sheri, live in Leon.

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Jim Slade (8/18/1931 - 6/1/2023) Funeral Director

Jim was born to Frank and Lyda Slade in Leon.  He graduated from Leon High School with the Class of 1949.  After serving in the U.S. Navy, he attended Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago.  While in Chicago he met Lois Veltman, a student nurse from Winterset, Iowa, who would become his future wife.  He returned to Leon and went into business with his parents.  He has been an Iowa licensed funeral director for over 60 years.  After retirement, he still enjoyed helping out whenever he could.

 

Richard Slade

Funeral Director
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Richard Slade is a third generation Slade Family funeral director.  He grew up in Leon and graduated from Central Decatur High School.  He continued his education at Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa and University of Iowa in Iowa City, Iowa, before graduating from the Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in Dallas, Texas in 1980.  He is a licensed funeral director and embalmer in both Iowa and Missouri.  He is an avid music enthusiast who enjoys listening to and playing a variety of music.  He has played guitar in local bands for several decades.  For Richard, being a funeral director is more of a way of life than a job.  He married Connie Mensing in 1987.  They have two sons, Stephen and Thomas Slade.

Connie Slade

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Connie was born and grew up in Greenfield, Iowa.  She graduated from Greenfield High School and also Northwest Missouri State University in Maryville, Missouri.  Following training for medical technology, she moved to Leon, Iowa to work at the Decatur County Hospital medical laboratory.  She met Richard Slade and after a six-year courtship the two were married in Leon in 1987.  Connie began working at the Slade – O’Donnell Funeral Home in 1989, before their two sons, Stephen and Thomas, were born.  When she is not working, she enjoys time with her family, projects at home, and the outdoors.

Sue Kelly

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Sue was born and grew up right here in Leon, Iowa.  Between her sophomore and junior year of high school, the family, parents - Jack and Helen Cross, sister Martha, and brother David, moved to Aurora, Colorado.  After school she got her diploma from Parks Business College in Denver.  A little bit of wanderlust set in, as she lived in Miami, Detroit, Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta, Casper, WY, and Kansas City only to find herself moving back home to Leon after retirement.  Most of her working life was spent employed at TWA, Northwest Airlines, and Delta Airlines. In addition to helping out at the funeral home, she enjoys doing volunteer work. She is currently involved with the Community Meal Program (Meals on Wheels) and the New-2-U store in Leon. Home life in Leon includes her wonderful husband, Jerry Kelly, and too many cats.

Kevin Frost

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Kevin grew up in Leon and graduated from Central Decatur High School.  He earned an associate’s degree from Southwestern Community College in Creston, Iowa.  Sports have always been a very big part of his life, playing basketball and baseball while in school.  He also is an avid golfer.  He currently officiates volleyball, football, basketball, track, softball, and baseball.  After working for the Decatur County Hospital for over 35 years, Kevin retired as a paramedic and the Ambulance Director.  When he is not helping at the funeral home, he also sells real estate for Stoney Oak Properties in Osceola, Iowa.  Kevin and wife, Sheri, live in Leon.

Jim Slade (8/18/1931 - 6/1/2023)

Funeral Director
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Jim was born to Frank and Lyda Slade in Leon.  He graduated from Leon High School with the Class of 1949.  After serving in the U.S. Navy, he attended Worsham Mortuary College in Chicago.  While in Chicago he met Lois Veltman, a student nurse from Winterset, Iowa, who would become his future wife.  He returned to Leon and went into business with his parents.  He has been an Iowa licensed funeral director for over 60 years.  After retirement, he still enjoyed helping out whenever he could.