Mr. Leon W. Boughner, Galesburg Chapel
, 58, of Henderson, Ill. died at 6:40 p.m. Thursday, April 21, 2011 at his home.
He was born January 17, 1953 in Peoria, Ill. to Robert B. and Beverly C. Carley Boughner. He married Kimberly Heald March 27, 1983 in Davenport, Iowa. She survives.
Also surviving is his father, Robert “RB” Boughner of Ft. Myers, Fla.; his mother, Bev Boughner of Lawrenceville, Ga.; a daughter, Jamie Boughner of Prior Lake, Minn.; a brother, Bruce (and Sheri) Boughner of Dacula, Ga.; a sister, Toni Boughner of Carol Stream, Ill.; and his four dogs that he loved, Red Dog, Tasha, Ozzie and Katie.
Leon was a U.S. Army veteran during the Vietnam War serving in the Black Horse Unit. He enjoyed fishing, old cars, NHRA, NASCAR and Harley Davidson motorcycles. He loved his family and friends.
Cremation will be accorded. There are no services planned. Memorials may be made to P.V.A or Knox County Prairieland Humane Society. Hinchliff-Pearson-West Galesburg Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements. Online condolences may be made at www.h-p-w.com.
i am saddened by Leons passing he will be sorely missed by all who new and love hum
We will miss you Leon you were a great guy
Kim-
We are very sorry to hear about your loss! Our thoughts and prayers are with you & your family! May you find comfort in your loved ones and the memories that you all hold close to your hearts!
With our deepest sympathy~
(Your neighbors) Joe & Heather
May His Spirit Forever Ride
With The Wind In His Face
And The Sun On His Shoulders
Free And Unbound
Into Eternity
A bright star dimmed with your passing Leon! Thank you for your service to our country, and for being such a good Father to my best friend Jamie. You will be deeply missed by all who loved you. Rest in peace Leon.
Jan & Ken
My thoughts and prayers are with the Boughner family. Leon was a great man. R.I.P Leon you will be missed by many and all that knew you.
When tomorrow starts without me,
and I’m not there to see;
If the sun should rise and find your eyes,
all filled with tears for me;
I wish so much you wouldn’t cry,
the way you did today,
while thinking of the many things,
we didn’t get to say.
I know how much you love me,
as much as I love you,
and each time that you think of me,
I know you’ll miss me too;
But when tomorrow starts without me,
please try to understand,
that an Angel came and called my name,
and took me by the hand,
and said my place was ready,
in heaven far above,
and that I’d have to leave behind,
all those I dearly love.
But as I turned to walk away,
a tear fell from my eye,
for all life, I’d always thought,
I didn’t want to die.
I had so much to live for,
so much yet to do,
it seemed almost impossible,
that I was leaving you.
I thought of all the yesterdays,
the good ones and the bad,
I thought of all the love we shared,
and all the fun we had.
If I could relive yesterday,
just even for awhile,
I’d say goodbye and kiss you
and maybe see you smile.
But then I fully realized,
that this could never be,
for emptiness and memories,
would take the place of me.
And when I thought of worldly things,
I might miss come tomorrow,
I thought of you, and when I did,
my heart was filled with sorrow.
But when I walked through heaven’s gates,
I felt so much at home.
When God looked down and smiled at me,
from His great golden throne,
He said, “This is eternity,
and all I’ve promised you”.
Today for life on earth is past,
but here it starts anew.
I promise no tomorrow,
but today will always last,
and since each day’s the same day,
there’s no longing for the past.
But you have been so faithful,
so trusting and so true.
Though there were times you did some things,
you knew you shouldn’t do.
But you have been forgiven
and now at last you’re free.
So won’t you take my hand
and share my life with me?
So when tomorrow starts without me,
don’t think we’re far apart,
for every time you think of me,
I’m right here, in your heart.
Kim, Jamie, Aunt Bev, Bruce and Toni~ It’s been along time since weve been together. Sonny was a cousin that you never forget. Until we get older you don’t realize what the servicemen sacrifice for our country. Sorry I never got to Thank Him for his Service! (guess I was to young the last time I seen him) It is especially hard to grieve together when our family is so spread out over the US. Prayers are with each and every one of you at this time of sorrow. Aaron and I was just talking about the family dinners that Grandma McCarthy had. We really had a good time there. Remember the picture of Sonny holding those 2 huge snakes that he killed coming out of the field? I can see it in my mind as I type this! He wasn’t scared at all but all of us kids didn’t want anything to do with them. LOL. Take care Family…until we meet again!
Kim & Jamie & Katie,
My deepest sympathy to you and the family, Leon always made me laugh when mom & I would come to visit on our travels. He was a great man, with pride & stood up for what he believed. I always looked forward to his email, cause you never knew what you might co me from it. RIP Leon, now you can walk thru the gates of Heaven. Take Care and love you guys,
Jamie, Kim,
I am so sorry to hear about your loss…my thoughts and prayers go out to you – Leon will always be remembered as a great American and a great friend.
Deepest sympathies,
Brandon White
Kim and Jamie,
My Love, Prayers, Sympathies, Hugs and Kisses go out to you both…..I’m So So Sorry for your loss.
He was a very good man, and will not be forgotten. May he R.I.P. in Heaven above and may God comfort you both during this most difficult time.
My Love to you Both!!!!
Heidi
“To live in the hearts we leave behind is not to die.” ~ Thomas Campbell
As I have grown up and though I have faced death myself I have found that I truly did not understand the meanings of the words heartsick and melancholy. I don’t know what brought you to make such a dreadful choice but I hope you are running with Red Dog and Tasha somewhere bright and sunny or riding an endless highway with yor friends that passed before you
As I sit here, finally allowing myself to feel and cry, I remember why my firstborn son was called “Sunny” . Under that tough exterior was a marshmallow of a guy. Your feelings ran so deep and you loved everyone. You broke my heart many times and I tried to understand and never judged you. I hope you are free now of the demons haunting you, and are now at peace, able to walk and ride and always be “my Leon”. I hope to see you again and remember our last talk, had I realized this was the journey you were going on, it would have been much longer. I have always loved you and will love you for all eternity. Until we meet again, let God lead you and always be at peace. Your Mom.
Leon was an outstanding combat engineer during a tough war. I was privileged to have served with him in the 2d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, and to call him a wonderful personal friend the past several years. Leon served his country well.
I will remember Leon, and offer to Kim, Jamie, and other family members my deepest sympathy.
I remember when Leon was growing up with us, our playing out in the backyard, baseball, naturally. He was the cutest little guy you ever seen, and I loved him dearly. He was a great nephew, a good son and husband to Kim. But he was the greatest father to Jamie, and he loved her with all his heart and soul. Leon would do anything for you, if you asked him for help. I will miss him with all my heart. Remember Leon, you are with everyone that loved you, and with your dogs running beside you.
Kimmy and Jamie you are in my prayers today and everyday .Going to miss talking to Leon on the phone for hours. I have alot of good memorys of Leon and a few bad but i can laugh now.Jordan loved him alot and will miss bringing him he’s beef jerky and spending a couple of hours visting with him. i know Leon loved Jordan and enjoyed watching him grow up and playing in leons red car. Kim and Jamie if you need anything i will be there. Leon i hope you are walking tall.
Kim & Jamie you are in my thoughts and prayers. Leon is truely going to missed. I gonna miss all those e-mails Leon would send to me at work. Thats how I spent my lunch time reading them. I know in my heart we will all see him again. R,I.P. Leon.
The Broken Chain
We knew little that day that God was going to call your name. In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same. It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone, for part of us went with you the day God called you home. You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide. And though we cannot see you, you are always at our side. Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same. But as God calls us one by one the chain will link again.
Leon was the best brother anyone could have wanted and hoped for, and I am so proud to say that he was my big brother. No matter what difficulties we had, he was always there for me in so many ways and it’s going to be so hard to go on without him. We had talked recently about getting together for a Cajun cookout \” even looked at the website “together” in our distant homes planning the menu. Or maybe we would go sightseeing via Amtrak through the Canadian corridor and down the west coast before making our way home again through the southwest. There are so many things we wanted to do, but out of the things we did, our coffee dates and Thanksgivings are what I will miss the most. Things don’t matter, people do, and Leon understood that better than anyone else I know.
The people we love never really leave us as long as we hold them in our thoughts and hearts. I’ll do my best to remember that and keep him with me always, especially in those moments when the road seems like it’s too long to walk by myself because I know he will be there with me.
Go with God, run and play with your beloved dogs and we’ll see each other again before you know it! I love you and miss you.
Though its been many miles and years since we have seen each other, I am so sorry for this family’s loss. I do remember Sonny when he was a little boy and your occasional visits to Aunt Dorothys’ house in Marseilles, Il. Memories stay very much alive in our hearts and minds. May he rest in peace in Gods hands as he remains within our hearts and minds forever.
God speed from a fellow Vietnam vet who served with you with 919th Engineers in Vietnam.See ya on the other side.