“I was born in Kansas City, Missouri and my family moved from there in 1963 to a farm south of Lamar. I went to school in Jasper, Missouri. Most of my working years have been cleaning; actually my first job was cleaning at a motel in Carthage. I had some production line work for a few years. My husband Jim and I bought a cleaning service which we named Leedy’s Janitorial Service and owned it for 10 years. After we sold the business I kept busy cleaning homes and went all over Carthage washing business windows. I loved this work and did it for about 5 years, then my neighbor, Ellene Stephens, told me to put my application in at BCMH and here I am…one of the best things I have done in my life. I work in the Environmental Services/Housekeeping department and will complete 20 years of service on April 23rd. I have been happy and excited about getting all those years in with BCMH. I am very proud of that and then I was told I was April Employee of the Month. I am surprised and amazed! I’m just really happy to be chosen for this honor. Now, that just topped the month out. Two wonderful things to celebrate in April! My husband and I met while I was in school. I’ve been married to Jim for 43 years. We live just south of Jasper and have lived there close to 30 years. We have three children, Jim, Dianna and David, and six grandchildren, Nicole, Cliffton, Kelton, Clinton, Benn and Kristen. We have one great grandson named Braiden. All our kids live in Joplin. We have several outside cats and three outside dogs, Jenny, Bandit and Brownie. We have two dogs in our home, Radar and Lady. They are small dogs, but sure have a good bark to them. We don’t own them; they own us! In my spare time I enjoy playing on my computer, working in the yard, taking walks with my dogs, fishing and riding on my golf cart. We love playing cards with some of our friends and I love to cook, too. I want to thank those who voted for me, and I do appreciate your thoughts about me also. It sure made my day – I am excited, humbled, honored and numb to receive such honor. It made me well up with tears of joy! It means so much to me to be an employee of BCMH and to work with a great bunch of people.”