In Memory

Don Lightle

Don Lightle

 

December 24, 1942 - March 21, 2018

Don Lightle was 75 years young; born December 24, 1942 in Kansas City, Missouri to Raymond and Margaret (Moxley) Lightle and raised in Kansas City, Kansas.

He graduated from NKC High School in 1961.

Don worked many jobs. He owned his own automotive business (D&D Buggy) in the eighties with his best friends, Don Gibson and Dave Lindberg. Later he worked for TWA as a painter then Harley Davidson where he retired in 2005. After his retirement he built two cars. His love for cars started as a young boy and grew into a hobby. He loved NASCAR and never missed a race. Don was always busy and always accomplishing many things daily until he had health issues.

He battled a courageous long endeavor with colon and liver cancer and never gave up. He was strong and very disciplined, but lost his struggle in March of 2018. He was loved and will be missed very much.
Don’s parents, Margaret and Ray Lightle, and his only sibling, Michael Lightle preceded him in death.
He leaves his wife of 54 ½ years, Caroline Lightle; daughter, Stephanie Fray (William), Smithville, MO; step-granddaughter, Jessica Bye (Michael); step-great granddaughter, Tirzah, Holt, MO; sister-in-law, Judy Lightle, Katy, TX; nephew, Scott Lightle (Tina) and family; niece, Pam Franz (Dale) and family; sister-in-law, Donna Counsell; niece, Angela Peterson and family; niece, Pam Borchetta and family. Don also leaves many close friends and his beloved pets: Benny, Goldie, Missey, Cutie Pie and Ms. Stashie.

Don’s final wish was to be cremated and he did not want a formal service. A Celebration of Life will be planned at a later date. Please include your e-mail address so we can include you when we have the details. Memorial contributions can be made to American Heart Association, National Kidney Foundation, Kitty Cat Connection, Kansas City, MO, or M’Shoogy’s Emergency Animal Rescue, Savannah, MO. The family wishes to thank Meierhoffer Funeral Home & Crematory of St. Joseph, MO for their assistance and support.

 


 

Don Lightle passed away on March 21st, 2018.  Following is an email we received from Bob Chizek, sharing his memories of Don and the Horsemen Car Club which they had co-founded back in 1960-61.

 

From: Robert <rchizek@kc.rr.com>
Date: Thu, Mar 22, 2018 at 10:46 PM
Subject: Don Lightle, Class of 1961 Passed Away Yesterday
To: <imhobbs@aol.com>, Sandra Aust <sandrnmel23@gmail.com>

 

Hi Sandra and Jim:

 

Today, Don’s wife (former Carolyn Woodcock) called me to highlight that her husband, Don Lightle passed away yesterday at St. Luke’s Hospital.  Don had surgery related to his cancer of the liver, but died due to complications that came after the surgery. 

 

Chuck Bess, Don Lightle, Tom Case and I were the four that started the Horsemen Car Club in 1960-61.  All of us had to work while in school, but we had some nice customized cars and enjoyed our friendships .  Don had a customized red 1949 Dodge coupe, I had a 1949 customized green Dodge, 2 door slant back sedan, Tom had a 1955 Ford and Chuck had a Ford Model A.  Others in the club included: Doug Rose, 1932 Ford Roaster, Bill Walton, 1955 red  Chevy Convertible with flames; and Frank Gragg, 1955 customized Ford sedan.  There were others (about 75-100 members), but I have lost track due to time and the fact that I am getting old.   We started the car club so we would have our own group and special jackets to wear at school  Our jackets were gold with the Horsemen logo sewn on the back and our first names on the front (See attachment).

Don was my friend for over fifty-seven years.  He always loved cars.  Don and Carolyn live on a small farm just outside of Plattsburg on Hwy. C.  I visited Don for the last time just before Christmas when Barbara and I took him his own revised  new Horsemen jacket that Chuck Bess and I wanted him to have for Christmas when we learned he was fighting cancer.  Don was sick, very weak and was putting up a good fight to overcome his illness.  The gift of the jacket from his old friends seemed to perk him up during our visit.  We enjoyed talking about our high school days at North Kansas City High, our families and friends.  Don lived about a ½ block from me in the Village of the Oaks during high school.  Don, Tom and I use to ride together daily to school at North Kansas City.

 

Please highlight Don’s passing to the rest of our friends in the Class of 1961.  If “one or both” of you would want to contact Carolyn Lightle, it would be nice.  She can be reached at 816.539.0140.

 

It is my hope that we can all come together as a class from NkC High School and show Carolyn our support during this very difficult time.  Carolyn will have the information regarding the final arrangements.

 

Take care my friends,

 

Bob Chizek
Horsemen Car Club
Class of 1961



 
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03/23/18 01:02 PM #1    

Gary Ross

Thanks for sharing, Bob.  Don sat next to me in Miss Cunningham's class.  Fun stories I can't retell here on the internet.  I last saw him about 20 years ago.  He and another classmate had owned a body shop (as I recall, but it could have been other auto related).  Nice man!

 


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