OLLIE KISER, JR.

June 12, 1951 ~ August 5, 2020 (age 69)

Ollie Kiser Jr. was born June 12, 1951, in Benton Harbor, Michigan to the union of Ollie Kiser Sr. and Ella Mae Batiest.  Ollie Jr. graduated from Benton Harbor High School in 1969 and enlisted in the United States Marine Corp shortly after, with a childhood friend through the buddy program.  Ollie Jr. decided he was not suited for Marine Corp life and returned home to Benton Harbor, Michigan where he started a family in 1972.    

Ollie worked various jobs to provide for his family and found stable employment with Auto Specialists.  However, by 1980 as the father of five children he found himself in need of a well-paying job.  So, with assistance from his brother Eddie Austin, Ollie Jr. relocated to Houston, Texas in pursuit of lucrative employment.  Ollie Jr. gained employment immediately with Whitaker Medals, on a steal industrial complex, as a side loader operator.  Ollie Jr. then married Leola Lynn Lauderdale of Benton Harbor, Michigan, on February 26,1983.  While gainfully employed at Whitaker Medals from 1980-1989, Ollie was afforded the opportunity to enjoy spending time with his family, attending his children’s school events, fishing, hunting, bowling, and playing softball and basketball.  Ollie was proud of the fact that the majority of his children and grandchildren inherited their athletic abilities from him.  His family fondly recalls his love for old vehicles and how he enjoyed performing maintenance on his favorite car, “The Deuce”, an Oldsmobile Buick Electra 225, Deuce and a Quarter. 

In 1989, after sustaining a second serious injury at Whitaker Medals, Ollie relocated his family to Kansas City, Missouri where he was employed by his father-in-law as an operations manager.  Ollie Jr. quickly learned the day to day operations of Grady’s Excel Dry Cleaners, where he was employed from 1989-2009.  He became an expert in all things related to fabric care, dry cleaning, and finishings.  While employed at Grady’s he also served at Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church as a church bus driver, security officer, and aided various auxiliaries engaged in carrying out the missions of the church.

Ollie Jr. accepted Christ as Lord of his life at an early age.   He openly acknowledged that his faith in God’s ability to heal him coupled with his desire to be with his  family gave him the strength to fight his cancer.  In his last days, it was established that his body could no longer endure the cancer treatments, Ollie Jr. stated he was ready to go be with the Lord and he wanted his “25” to be OK without him. 

Ollie affectionately referred to his wife, children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren as his “25”.  

Ollie Jr. was preceded in death by his parents, Ollie Kiser Senior and Ella Mae Kelly; father in law Grady McWilliams; brother Kenny Kiser; brothers in law Otis Hartz and Jeffrey C. Lauderdale; sister in-law Cherrie Lauderdale; great grandson De’Marien Smith.

Ollie leaves to cherish his memory: his wife Leola Lynn, two sons Ollie (Stephanie) Kiser III and Eric (Dana) Lauderdale; three daughters Serena (Emanuel) Smith, Shonda (Byron) Seymore, and Katricia Lauderdale.  Grandchildren: Keira Smith, Dominique Smith Sr., Tarrian Stansberry, Brianna Smith, Carnisha Kiser, Ollie Kiser lV, Tatiana Kiser, Shayla Kiser, Gavin Kiser, Owen Kiser, Elijah Wright lll, Kianna Wright, Taylor Wright, and Eric T. Lauderdale.

Brothers: Earl Austin Jr. (Betty), Eddie J. Austin, Dewayne Kelly, Purnell Kiser, Isaiah (Simone) Kiser, and Brian Kiser.  Sister Shirley (Andy) Trotter.  Mother in law Barbara McWilliams; Sisters in law: Linda (Charles) Reed, Thelka Lauderdale, Lawanda (Miron) Taylor; Vanessa Lauderdale; Dianne Kiser.  God Mothers Alma Marshall, Bertha Morris, and Equator Gold; a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends; and the entire Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church Family.

Funeral Services will be held at 10:45 A.M. on Friday, August 14th at Mount Vernon Missionary Baptist Church 3935 Prospect Ave. KCMO 64130. Visitation 9:00 A.M. Interment Twelve Gates Memorial Gardens Cemetery.