The Reverend Howard Leslie Bone, 81, of Independence, Missouri, known to most as Leslie, died May 10, 2021. He was born June 13, 1939, to Howard Taft Bone and Ruby Mae Puckett Bone in the Wheel community in Carlisle County, Kentucky, and raised in Lowes, Kentucky, in Graves County near Mayfield. He was baptized and joined the Mount Carmel Cumberland Presbyterian Church (then in Mayfield Presbytery).
Leslie graduated from Lowes High School in 1958 and came under the care of Mayfield Presbytery the same year. Leslie married Beverly Doris Thomas September 6, 1959. They had two daughters, Pamela Lynn and Angela Gail. He attended Bethel College (now Bethel University) in McKenzie, Tennessee, and was licensed in 1961. He graduated from Bethel in July 1962 and was then ordained by Mayfield Presbytery. The Reverends Milton Reed Clapp, Earl Thach Shauf, and Glen Moore preached Leslie’s ordination sermon and Glen Moore delivered the charge.
Leslie attended the Cumberland Presbyterian Theological Seminary in McKenzie but, before he completed his studies, the seminary moved and became Memphis Theological Seminary. He graduated in 1965. While a student, Leslie served as stated supply for Elm River Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Mt. Erie, Illinois), New Bethlehem Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Newbern, Tennessee), Mount Olive Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Dyer, Tennessee), and Bethesda Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Friendship, Tennessee).
Leslie served Willow Creek Cumberland Presbyterian Church (Martinsville, Illinois) and the Little Rock Cumberland Presbyterian Fellowship as pastor before being called to the pastorate of Faith Cumberland Church in Independence, Missouri, where he served for fifteen years. Over the course of his ministry, Leslie held membership in Mayfield, Foster, Ewing-Burrow, Platte-Lexington, and Missouri Presbyteries.
During his time in Independence, Leslie became very involved with hospice ministry. He helped start the first hospice program Independence. He worked with Visiting Nurses Hospice Program which merged with Kansas City Hospice. He worked for Kansas City Hospice for 25 years. He was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease which caused him to retire earlier then planned.
