In Memory Of
Asa E. Cleavinger.
1929
2015
Asa E. Cleavinger.
September 13, 1929 — July 30, 2015
The final school bell rang at 9:27 p.m., July 30, 2015 for Asa Eugene Cleavinger, Ed.D. Asa was born September 13, 1929 in Easton, Kansas to Almon and Pearl (Gwartney) Cleavinger, the seventh child of this union.
Asa was raised on a farm and attended Round Prairie country school. He graduated from Leavenworth High School. Following family tradition, he attended Baker University to earn his BA in Education in 1951. At Baker, he became a member of Sigma Phi Delta Kappa. He earned his Master's Degree from Kansas University in 1957. His Master's thesis was titled, "A Test of Motor Ability for Upper Elementary School Boys. He earned his Doctor of Education from Kansas University in 1968. His Doctorate dissertation was titled, "A Comparison of Selected Self-Contained Classsrooms and Selected Departmentalized Classrooms in the Upper Elementary Grades. "What's up doc!"
He entered the Navy as an Ensign aboard the USS Phillipine Sea during the Korean Conflict. After his military service, he taught school. During the 1953-54 school year he taught American History and coached at Doniphan County Community High School at Denton, Kansas. He taught 6th grade at Corinth School District during the 1954-55 year. He moved to the Kansas City area and served as the principal at Linwood from 1957-1970, principal at Roseland from 1970-73, directed the federal program "Project Clean" from 1973-74, principal at Oak Park during the 1974-75 school year and served as principal at Nall Hills School and Tomahawk School from 1977-1985. He also worked in Wichita, Kansas at Franklin School from 1985-1993. At Franklin, he worked to provide a summer program for K-12 at-risk children, helped to form a PTA, established a Parents-As-Teachers program, developed a telecommunications system and organized the transitional first grade. KU always provided a list of job opportunities so he headed down the road to Powell, Wyoming. Asa was presented an "Excellence in Education" award by the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce during his tenure as principal at Powell Elementary School. He thoroughly enjoyed the five years he spent in Powell, Wyoming at Parkside School .
After leaving Powell , Wyoming, he and his wife relocated to Topeka, Kansas. Asa worked with District 501 and became the facilitator for the McKinney Grant for Homeless Children. The Topeka Rescue Mission provided a classroom. He and his wife arrived at the mission at 5:00 a.m. to get the children ready for the school buses and in the afternoon offered academic assistance. In the summer, time was spent with the children at the swimming pool and various field trips. Asa and his wife retired two years ago, spending a total of 15 years working at the Topeka Rescue Mission.
Asa was a member of the Association of School Principals, Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals, National Educators Association, NEA, KSTA, LTA, and the National Teachers of Mathematics Association. Asa received his Supreme Council 33rd Degree Mason as a member of Palmyra Lodge No. 23, Baldwin City, Kansas.
He spent many hours in community service and received numerous awards from Boy Scouts of America, and the YMCA. Asa was nominated for a Jefferson Award in 2002. Asa enjoyed fishing, reading and coaching. He volunteered as a girl's softball team coach in Overland Park, Kansas and coached his son, Mark's soccer team. He was a member of the Jayhawk Club and loved KU basketball---Beak 'Em Hawks!
Asa married Lola Millard on March 1, 1963, at Lenexa, Kansas. He is survived by his wife, Lola of 52 years; his sons, David of Overland Park, Kansas and Mark of Wichita, Kansas; his grandchildren, Eden Cleavinger of Salina, Kansas, Miranda Cleavinger of Kansas City, Kansas and Cadence Lola Cleavinger of Wichita, Kansas; and two sisters, Pat Yonally of Orem, Utah and Betty Blakely of Largo, Florida.
Asa was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David Cleavinger, who was shot down over Pearl Harbor (WWII), brothers, Joe and Ted Cleavinger and his sister Harriett Poppe.
A memorial service will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery, 4700 SW 17th in the Mausoleum Chapel on Friday, August 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Topeka Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 8350, Topeka, Kansas 66608-0350
At a later date, his family will take his cremated remains to the ocean which he loved so much.
Asa was raised on a farm and attended Round Prairie country school. He graduated from Leavenworth High School. Following family tradition, he attended Baker University to earn his BA in Education in 1951. At Baker, he became a member of Sigma Phi Delta Kappa. He earned his Master's Degree from Kansas University in 1957. His Master's thesis was titled, "A Test of Motor Ability for Upper Elementary School Boys. He earned his Doctor of Education from Kansas University in 1968. His Doctorate dissertation was titled, "A Comparison of Selected Self-Contained Classsrooms and Selected Departmentalized Classrooms in the Upper Elementary Grades. "What's up doc!"
He entered the Navy as an Ensign aboard the USS Phillipine Sea during the Korean Conflict. After his military service, he taught school. During the 1953-54 school year he taught American History and coached at Doniphan County Community High School at Denton, Kansas. He taught 6th grade at Corinth School District during the 1954-55 year. He moved to the Kansas City area and served as the principal at Linwood from 1957-1970, principal at Roseland from 1970-73, directed the federal program "Project Clean" from 1973-74, principal at Oak Park during the 1974-75 school year and served as principal at Nall Hills School and Tomahawk School from 1977-1985. He also worked in Wichita, Kansas at Franklin School from 1985-1993. At Franklin, he worked to provide a summer program for K-12 at-risk children, helped to form a PTA, established a Parents-As-Teachers program, developed a telecommunications system and organized the transitional first grade. KU always provided a list of job opportunities so he headed down the road to Powell, Wyoming. Asa was presented an "Excellence in Education" award by the Powell Valley Chamber of Commerce during his tenure as principal at Powell Elementary School. He thoroughly enjoyed the five years he spent in Powell, Wyoming at Parkside School .
After leaving Powell , Wyoming, he and his wife relocated to Topeka, Kansas. Asa worked with District 501 and became the facilitator for the McKinney Grant for Homeless Children. The Topeka Rescue Mission provided a classroom. He and his wife arrived at the mission at 5:00 a.m. to get the children ready for the school buses and in the afternoon offered academic assistance. In the summer, time was spent with the children at the swimming pool and various field trips. Asa and his wife retired two years ago, spending a total of 15 years working at the Topeka Rescue Mission.
Asa was a member of the Association of School Principals, Kansas Association of Elementary School Principals, National Educators Association, NEA, KSTA, LTA, and the National Teachers of Mathematics Association. Asa received his Supreme Council 33rd Degree Mason as a member of Palmyra Lodge No. 23, Baldwin City, Kansas.
He spent many hours in community service and received numerous awards from Boy Scouts of America, and the YMCA. Asa was nominated for a Jefferson Award in 2002. Asa enjoyed fishing, reading and coaching. He volunteered as a girl's softball team coach in Overland Park, Kansas and coached his son, Mark's soccer team. He was a member of the Jayhawk Club and loved KU basketball---Beak 'Em Hawks!
Asa married Lola Millard on March 1, 1963, at Lenexa, Kansas. He is survived by his wife, Lola of 52 years; his sons, David of Overland Park, Kansas and Mark of Wichita, Kansas; his grandchildren, Eden Cleavinger of Salina, Kansas, Miranda Cleavinger of Kansas City, Kansas and Cadence Lola Cleavinger of Wichita, Kansas; and two sisters, Pat Yonally of Orem, Utah and Betty Blakely of Largo, Florida.
Asa was preceded in death by his parents, his brother David Cleavinger, who was shot down over Pearl Harbor (WWII), brothers, Joe and Ted Cleavinger and his sister Harriett Poppe.
A memorial service will be held at Mt. Hope Cemetery, 4700 SW 17th in the Mausoleum Chapel on Friday, August 14, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Topeka Rescue Mission, P.O. Box 8350, Topeka, Kansas 66608-0350
At a later date, his family will take his cremated remains to the ocean which he loved so much.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Asa E. Cleavinger., please visit our flower store.
Service Schedule
Past Services
Visitation
Friday, August 14, 2015
12:00 - 1:00 pm (Central time)
Mt. Hope Mausoleum Chapel
Service
Friday, August 14, 2015
Starts at 1:00 pm (Central time)
Mt. Hope Mausoleum Chapel
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