By James B. Bartle

A 42-year career working for the State of Missouri Conservation Department Forestry Division will come to an end on Friday, Feb. 26, as Leo Sanders retires as Resource Forest Technician Supervisor of the Leasburg forestry division. Sanders will not leave the public eye though as he plans to run for Crawford County Presiding Commissioner and file on Tuesday, Feb. 23.
Sanders started out his career in the forestry division working part-time from Dec. 1968 through Fall of 1970, then became a full-time employee in Jan. 1971. In 1977 Sanders moved his family to the state home in Leasburg with the operation of the Leasburg Fire Tower. Sanders stayed in this setting with the division until 1984 when his family purchased their own home, just miles from the Leasburg tower, which still stands today and is one of only a couple in the state, and he continued his career.
Over the years Sanders has accomplished many things and in his position he was active in fighting wildfires, working on timber for the conservation department including insect disease’s among tree’s, providing school programs to students such as the Smoky Bear program, career days, aid local fire departments with training program’s and speaking to a number of garden clubs.
Sanders stated that the thing he has enjoyed most is working with people.
“I have enjoyed working with the people and being in the public eye,” said Sanders. “I have also enjoyed putting out wild fires which can be challenging with each one different from another. I’m not bragging here, but I’ve never been afraid of fire but you have to respect it.”
Sanders also stated that he has enjoyed with with his co-workers through the years and has seen several come and go.
“I’m really going to miss my co-workers, the local fire departments and the people in general,” said Sanders. “It’s been a real privilege to work with them and serve the people of our State. I’m also going to miss fighting fire, not to say that I’m gonna go out and join the Leasburg Fire Department but I’ve told them I’m just a phone cal away,” laughed Sanders.
For Sanders through his 42 year career the biggest changes in the forestry division here has been the decrease in large wild fires.
“The biggest changes I’ve seen locally is that we don’t have the large fire problem we’ve had in years past,” said Sanders. “I think this has a lot to do with the hard work of educating the public through our schools and fire departments. Also this area has become more populated and our fire departments are better equipped now than what they used to be. Another factor is the use of cell phones and the fact that fires are reported much faster than what they used to be.”
In talking about the education programs with school students Sanders stated of all the programs her enjoyed the Smoky Bear program the most.
“The Smokey Bear program was a blast and I always enjoyed seeing the expressions on the children’s faces when Smokey would enter the classroom. The reaction of the children was just neat to see,” said Sanders.
Fighting wild fires for countless hours, anywhere and anytime did prove to be the one downside to the job or least thing Sanders enjoyed.
“My least favorite thing about my job was that  felt I missed a lot of things with my children,” said Sanders. “Fire doesn’t wait for you, it can happen any time during any event you may be planning to attend or attending. That was probably the biggest downfall of the job for me and the school functions I missed with my daughters.”
Sanders has always been supported by his family which includes wife Theda, and two daughters Tritonia, employed with Crawford Electric, and Lesley, employed as a school teacher with the Cuba School District.
Sanders stated that he’s pretty confident that he was one of the first members of the forestry team to travel out of state to battle wild fires. His first trip was in 1973 and through the years he has been to California, Idaho, Oregon, and Minnesota to name a few.
“These were neat experiences, not really a vacation type of event, but it was neat to see the different states, the scenery and see the different way fires react in different areas,” said Sanders. “We would have to hike into area to battle the fires and one night we were in California and got to the top of a hill where all you could see was several fire’s glowing, it was a spectacular view from there, not something you want to see as a home owner, but it was something else.”
“This has been a great career that I have enjoyed very much,” said Sanders. “It’s been a roller-coaster ride at times but it’s been enjoyable.”
Sanders will know set his sights on serving the public in an official role as he will file for Crawford County Presiding Commissioner Tuesday.
Sanders stated that he looks forward to the run for office and getting the chance to meet the people and possibly serve them once again.