Wm. M. Canaday

Wm. M. (Bill) Canaday, 82, of Kansas City, MO, passed away Tuesday, February 4, 2003, at home after a long illness. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, February 8, 2003, at Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel, I435 at Holmes Rd. Burial in Mt. Moriah Cemetery. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Friday, February 7, 2003, at the Chapel. Bill was born August 26, 1920 in Kansas City, MO. He was a member of Masonic Lodge #220 and an honorary DeMolay Legion of Honor, Mother Preceptory. He belonged to the Scottish Rite, Valley of Kansas City; the York Rite Bodies of Orient Chapter R.A.M. #102; Shekinoh Council #24; and Oriental Commandry 25, Knights Templar. He was a 48 year member of Ararat Shrine of Kansas City, MO. Bill was honored as Provost Marshal Emeritus after many years of service as a leader of the Provost Club. Bill Canaday was a loved Past President and life member of the Ararat Sand Buggy Unit. He was an honorary member of Ararat's Patrol and Oriental Band Units. He was an associate member of Abdallah Shrine. Noble Bill was a past Camaxtli and a life member of Quetzalcoatl, Teocali #16 and a member of Ankara Grotto. A 1991 Membership Shrine Class was named in Bill's honor. He served as Club Manager of the Ararat Shrine Temple from 1988-1994. He belonged to VFW Post 1829. On August 15, 1939, Bill went to work for the Kansas City Police Department as a civilian and rose to the rank of Lt. Col., retiring in 1964. While on the KCPD Bill worked many notorious cases. He was in the "Paseo Massacre," September 20, 1948 where five policemen and a bystander were killed. Bill was the sole survivor of the Massacre. He also worked the "Greenlease" kidnapping of Bobby Greenlease in September 28, 1953. Bill got to meet many well known people while on the KCPD. He was the driver of Presidents Truman, Eisenhower and Kennedy. Mayor Bartle and Bill formed a lasting friendship and he drove for him often. Bill's father, James H. Canaday, worked for a number of years with him on the Police Department. Bill loved his dad and treasured any time they could be together. When Bill left the police department in 1964 he opened his first restaurant "Playland" in Laurie, MO. For the next 30 years, Bill and his son, Mike, ran "Canaday's" and many other bars and restaurants in Kansas City. Bill's employment on the KCPD was interrupted by WWII. He served from November 1940 to December 3, 1945. He served four years in the "European Theatre" as a Criminal Investigator. His job was to conduct investigations of sabotage, sedition, espionage and subversive activities regarding the military. Bill was honorably discharged from the military service December 1945 and returned to work at the Police Department until he retired in 1964. He was a member of First North Methodist Church in North Kansas City, MO. Bill had a good heart and loved people. He particularly enjoyed his Shrine work. His great love was the years he was in the Sand Buggy Unit. He always had a "joke" to tell and loved to hang out with the Shriners. Bill was a devoted family man. He will be missed by many, many people. To know Bill was to love him. He was a born leader and his career on the KCPD served him well as a Shriner and business man. He was preceded in death by his parents, Blanche and James H. Canaday. Survivors include his beloved wife of 48 years, Lela R. Canaday; son, Michael L. Canaday; grandson, Wm. L. White and his wife, Suzette; great-grandson, Travis L. White; four sisters-in-law and four brothers-in-law. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Shriner's Hospitals for Children or Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, Heart of America Chapter, Prairie Village, KS. (Arrangements: Mt. Moriah & Freeman Chapel (816) 942-2004)