Obituary – Leo S. Johnson
Leo Scott Johnson, of Beulah, Mo., passed away in Rolla, Mo., on Sunday, July 26, 2026. He was born to Leo Joseph and Mary Elizabeth Johnson in Salina, Kan., on January 12, 1946.
Leo was raised on their family fruit farm south of Wichita, Kan. He was educated for 12 years in the Derby, Kan., public school system and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in education from Wichita State University. He pursued a master’s degree in special education at Emporia State University.
After teaching for 20 years, Leo served as business manager and director of the church school at Assumption Parish (now Saint Anthony Parish) in Kansas City, Mo.
He owned and operated the Waterville (Kansas) Telegraph, The Saint Joseph (Missouri) Telegraph, Telegraph Country (Missouri and Kansas), the Jefferson City Telegraph and Telegraph Publications (Missouri and Kansas).
Leo was always active in the communities where he lived and owned newspapers. He served on the Missouri Western College Community Advisory Board and the Roubidoux Row Historical Society, serving two terms on the board of directors and one term as board president. He was also on the Saint Joseph, Mo., Landmarks Commission for two terms as a board member and one term as president. He was always active helping The Saint Joseph Senior Center, the Salvation Army Inter-serve, and many other helping hand organizations in Saint Joseph, Mo.
Leo always supported his church and served in various capacities to promote parish activities. He had received multiple awards for his work in his community, with churches, government, education, historic preservation, neighborhood organizations and the arts. He was always volunteering at animal shelters and working to raise funds for support of animals. Leo loved all animals and over his lifetime he had a number of companion dogs, large and small.
Leo was predeceased by his parents and is survived by a brother, Marc Johnson (Karen Penner), of Manhattan, Kan.; two step-sisters, Kirsten Awe, of Wichita, Kan., and Katherine Justus, of Thornton, Colo.; a half-sister, Summer Rodgers, of Wichita, Kan.; a nephew, Joseph Johnson, of Columbia, Mo.; lifelong friend and business partner Gary Conard, of Beulah, Mo.; six step-nephews and step-nieces; six grand-nephews and grand-nieces; and Oreo, Leo’s little ten-pound Chugie companion dog.
There will be no service or recommendations for remembrances.
