In retrospect, Robert, Virginia, and Virginia Sue each remembered this long vacation as such a fun-filled time, and especially did each of them always recall what an exciting time this had been for Bobby, since he was then six and he was old enough to have observed and appreciated so many things he might not have been so impressed with at a younger age; even one year younger. And it was so, as Virginia related, because Bobby really talked so much and told his young classmates and friends about all of the things he had seen and experienced including the rides on the “great big Ferris Wheel,” and the traditional English Merry-go-round and the zoos where the elephants were his favorites; among the many things he had especially enjoyed and easily recalled to his family and friends. Virginia vividly remembered how excited Bobby was to tell everyone about his trip that summer. He delighted so much in telling folks, and in great detail, about the amusement rides, zoos, boats and trains, and of course, the “huge big elephants!”

Sadly, this late summer journey in 1953 would be the last time Bobby was with his family for a wonderful and exciting vacation. For the sadness and tragedy that soon was to overshadow the Greenlease Family, and all things about their lives would soon be forever changed and altered, and in such a dramatic and unimaginable tragic manner; none of which could have ever been considered by any sane or decent or good person. Because the very sick and mis-guided energies of two drunken ill-reputes were about to unfold upon little Bobby Greenlease. And these two very evil drunks and dope-heads were about to perpetrate kidnap, murder, and ransom. And their ill-fated behavior that would forever impact and bring such grief and sadness to each member of the Greenlease Family. How well Virginia recalled all of the events that began to unfold on that dark Monday afternoon in September, when she was told that her young son  Bobby had been kidnapped; and right out of his school that he loved so much!

As Virginia recalls, Bobby was excited about going to school on the Monday morning of September 28, 1953, because he got to wear his Jerusalem Cross that was one of only two crosses awarded the week earlier to students who had done exceptional school work. Virginia pinned this cross tied with its red ribbon on Bobby’s jacket of his school uniform for all of his classmates to see and hopefully admire. Both of Bobby’s parents were so proud of him and so Bobby hugged and kissed his mother goodbye (which was to be the last time Virginia ever was to embrace her Bobby), and he and his dad loaded into his dads powder blue Cadillac and off to school they went. Robert always drove Bobby to school on his way to his office at Greenlease Cadillac Motor Company located just about one mile north of Bobby’s school. And Bobby was really happy, and as his dad later recalled, “Bobby was especially happy and excited about a new week beginning at school and to be wearing his Jerusalem Cross.” Bobby really loved school and his classmates, as many were some of his “best and closest” friends!

When Robert arrived at the school and drove up the entry-drive of the private school located at 3823 Locust Street, in the Hyde Park neighborhood in Kansas City, Missouri, little could he ever imagine or take notice of the two evil drunks who were close-by in their white 1951 Plymouth station wagon and who were observing his every move. Bobby hugged and kissed his dad goodbye, and ran from his car and up the front steps of the exclusive school and walked on inside the two sets of doors, and began another day in school, which sadly, was to be his final day in the school he felt was such a fun and special place. This was the very last time and moment Robert Greenlease was to ever see his beloved little Bobby.

Robert later recalled that as he departed from the school in his car, he was thinking what a wonderful little boy he loved so deeply and how much Bobby was always so excited about everything in life; and about when he would play with Bobby in their almost daily “hide and seek” game in the back yard of their home; and playing with Bobby’s two dogs at the end of the day, and usually just before dinnertime. Robert drove down the driveway of Bobby’s school and turned his car and drove north on Locust Street and then he headed west on Armour Blvd., and on north on Gillham Plaza that merges into Gillham Road, that would take him directly to his office at Greenlease Cadillac.

Bobby went on up the steps inside the school to his classroom on the second floor and went to his desk at the back of the room. His teacher, a French Nun, recalled how happy Bobby seemed that morning, and she would recall that he showed his friends his Jerusalem Cross his mom had pinned to the jacket of his school uniform. The school morning went along as usual and Bobby was writing in his Big Chief Tablet words he had learned to spell. He was a good speller and he liked to share with his mom and dad his daily work sheets he kept in his tablet. Bobby had learned to spell some very long words and he would spell out these words for his mom and dad each day after school.  He also really liked to draw animals with his crayons. In later years Virginia finally framed a few of his “great works of art,” and she still had these drawings he drew of his dogs up to the time she passed away.