HOUSE BILL NO. 1575
June 17th, 2008
This morning Lt. Governor Peter Kinder signed House Bill 1575 into law!!!!!
The bill designates the naming of a section of 87 highway The
Lance Corporal Leon B. Deraps Memorial Highway. It will be from Highway 87
in Moniteau County from the intersection of Highway AA south 4 miles. The
Dept. Of Transportation will erect & maintain the appropriate signs and the
costs will be paid by private donations (if anyone would like to donate
please contact the Deraps family). It was a very honorable gesture for our fallen soldier. I am not sure how long it takes to have the signs made and put up but you can bet when they go up you will get the pictures! Thanks to everyone for their continued support of Leon!
Take care everyone!!!!
Much love,
~Omie
"In loving memory of LCpl. Leon Deraps KIA 5-6-06 Iraq ~ Never forgotten ~
My beloved brother & hero"
In the picture left to right is Bev McCasland (Kenny Jones secretary), Sandy & Dale Deraps (Mother and Father), Dawn Cassil (Sister) holding Abigail Baepler (niece), Baylee Johnson (niece) & her mother Omie Johnson (sister) & Leon's roommate while serving in Iraq Cpl. Nick Stewart (home on leave from his 3rd tour in Iraq), Terry Cassil (brother-in-law), Regina Baepler (sister) holding Abraham (nephew), and Jeff Johnson (Brother-in-law) and a few fellow Jamestown neighbors who work at the capital.
Portion of Missouri 87 named for soldier
By Ra'Vae Edwards
redwards@newstribune.com
Posted: Wednesday, Jun 18, 2008 http://www.newstribune.com
Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder signed two laws Tuesday dedicating a section of highway in Moniteau County to a fallen soldier and a bridge in Maries County to a sheriff who died in the line of duty.
A four-mile section of Missouri 87 in Moniteau County will be known as the Lance Cpl. Leon Deraps Memorial Highway.
Deraps, a native of Jamestown, was killed on May 6, 2006, while conducting combat operations with the 7th Engineer Support Battalion, 1st Marine Logistics Group, in the al-Anbar Province of Iraq.
The humvee he was traveling in was struck by a roadside bomb. He had been stationed in Iraq for less than three months.
The four-mile section memorializing Deraps will be south of the junction of Missouri 87 and Route AA in Jamestown.
The Deraps family home is very near the section of highway that will now bear the name of their lost loved one.
His mother, Sandy Deraps, said the family is honored by the memorial.
“This is just a wonderful way to honor a soldier,” she said.
“We are all very happy. This is truly a blessing.”
State Rep. Kenny Jones, R-California, sponsored the bill.
“Lance Cpl. Leon Deraps embodied all of the best qualities we look for in our service men and women,” Jones said.
“By naming this span of Highway 87 after this fallen soldier, we honor his memory and remind his family and friends, and everyone who passes through this area, that his service to this nation will not be forgotten.”
The bridge over the Gasconade River on Missouri 63 in Maries County will now be known as the Roy Bassett Memorial Bridge.
Bassett had served as the Maries County Sheriff for a decade when he was killed on Sept. 23, 1994, in a shootout.
“With this, we honor a man who provided a decade of service to Maries County,” said Rep. Tom Loehner, R-Koeltztown, who sponsored the bill.
“For Sheriff Bassett's wife, family and colleagues it will create a fitting and lasting memorial to honor a fallen husband, father and friend.”