Donald Lee Emmons
October 19, 1934 - March 3, 2021
Obituary
Donald Lee Emmons of NYC, our beloved uncle, passed away on March 3, 2021, at the age of 86. Don was born October 19, 1934, to the late Leman Emmons and LaVaughn (Staples) Emmons. He was brother to the late Marcia Leezy, all long-time residents of Rolla. Don was born in Chicago, Ill, but soon the family moved to St. Louis, MO.
Don’s talent and gift for dancing were discovered by accident. As the story goes, his sister, Marcia, was started in dance lessons to help build her confidence as she was painfully shy. However, it was not long before the family realized that Don could quickly and easily recall all his sister’s dances and combinations perfectly. Besides, Marcia had no desire to learn to dance, preferring to play sports, at which she excelled.
Don enrolled in dance lessons at the prestigious Lalla Bauman School of Dance, known for producing professional-quality dancers. Don continued to advance until he was in classes with children much older than him. Soon, word got out that Don could dance. He danced for school functions, activities and bond drives to raise money for the war effort (WWII).
During his sophomore year in high school, Don auditioned for the St. Louis Muny Opera, where he danced three seasons before heading to NYC at age 17 to pursue a career in dance.
Don danced in ten Broadway shows, including “Bells Are Ringing”, “Gypsy”, “Unsinkable Molly Brown” and “How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying”. Don auditioned and won the leading male role in “Curley McDimple”, a charming Broadway musical satire on Shirley Temple and other films of the thirties. The show was very successful and ran for several years. Don then auditioned for and was selected by Gene Kelly to be his dance stand-in for a tv special Kelly was producing during this time. Being the golden age of Broadway musicals, Don had the pleasure and great fortune of working with some of the greatest choreographers, directors, writers, and lyricists, including Bob Fosse, Jerome Robbins, Meredith Wilson, Dore Schary, Robert Dahdah, and Frank Loesser.
Eventually, Don’s career took a different path, including teaching private dance lessons, teaching at dance workshops around the country, and being a judge at major dance competitions throughout North America. Don would often tell his family and others, “I can’t imagine my life without dance”.
Don will be greatly missed by his surviving family, which includes: one nephew, Charles “Chuck” Leezy and wife Donna of Columbia, MO, a niece Marlisa Nolan and husband Earl of Osage Beach, MO, grandnephew, Carson Leezy of Columbia, MO, grandniece, Maggie Leezy of Columbia, MO and cousin, Rick Staples and wife Linda of Overland Park, KS. Don will also be missed by many dear friends in NYC, including long-time companion of 33 years, Magdalena Burgos, and Joe Bly, a close friend of 52 years.
A funeral service for Don will be conducted at 1 p.m. on Friday, March 12, 2021, at Null and Son Funeral Home in Rolla. Interment will follow in the Ozark Hills Memorial Gardens Cemetery, where Don will rest with his father, mother, and sister. A visitation for family and friends will be held before the service beginning at noon at the funeral home.
Amanda S. Stevenson 
