Leslie Sawvell

Leslie R. “Sonny” Sawvell, 76, a resident of Buffalo, Iowa died suddenly on Wednesday, March 11, 2015 at Genesis Medical Center, East Campus in Davenport, Iowa.

A graveside service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, March 17, 2015 at Rose Hill Cemetery in Buffalo.  Memorials may be made to the family.  McGinnis-Chambers Funeral Home of Bettendorf is assisting the family with arrangements.

He was born in Waukon Junction, Iowa on June 29, 1938, the son of Arthur and Dorothy (Ziel) Sawvell.  On April 2, 1958, he was united in marriage to Bonnie R. Jones.

Sonny was a self-employed siding applicator for many years and was a member of the National Rifle Association.

Among the things he enjoyed were hunting and fishing.  He always raised a large garden at home, was an avid collector of beer steins was an accomplished mushroom hunter and loved chocolate.  Sonny was deeply interested in astronomy and the existence of UFO’s.  Cooking was a favorite of his as well as traveling across the United States especially Utah and Wyoming.

Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Bonnie; his children, Sheila (Rick) Downs of Buffalo, Douglas (Elizabeth) Sawvell of Sierra Vista, Arizona, Sherry (Tony) Anderson of Davenport and Shelly (Jimmy) Thurston of Davenport; his grandchildren, Shannon Mangels, Jinnie (Mike) Riley, Jamie (Eldred) Nunn, Joshua Downs, Jessie Downs, Callie (Joseph) Coffel, Dakota Sawvell, Kane Anderson and Kayla Frederick; sixteen grandchildren with two more expected soon; three great-great-grandsons; his sisters, Patricia Richardson of Camanche, Iowa and Marion McCarty of Ankeny, Iowa; and his brother, Donnie (Linda) Sawvell of McCausland, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Robert Sawvell; and by his great-grandson, Brandon Ballard.