LEE W. COLLINSWORTH

LEE W. COLLINSWORTH

Emporia Dateline Lee W. Collinsworth, age 92, recently of Emporia and formerly longtime resident of Cottonwood Falls, KS., died Saturday, December 19, 2009, at the Halstead Health and Rehabilitation Nursing Facility in Halstead, KS. A celebration of life service will be held Tuesday, December 22, 2009, at 2:00 P.M. at the Brown-Bennett-Alexander Funeral Home with The Rev. Nancy Goddard officiating. Burial will follow at the Blankenship Cemetery in rural Rosalia, KS. Lee W. Collinsworth, the son of Grover C. and Elzada Harris Collinsworth, was born October 29, 1917, in El Dorado, KS. He graduated, in 1941, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Kansas State University in Manhattan, KS. His first job was with Indian Service in Albuquerque, N.M. He served in the Army and Air Force from January, 1942, until October, 1945. He was a navigator in B-17s and B-29s and was ranked as a Flight Officer upon discharge. He and Margaret Jane Nicholas were married April 3, 1944, in Valdosta, Georgia. She preceded him in death July 12, 1992. He started work, in 1946, with the USDA, Soil Conservation Service in El Dorado before he was transferred to the Emporia office. He was assigned to the Cottonwood Falls, Chase County, KS., office as a District Conservationist from 1949 until his retirement in 1982 with over 40 years of Government Service. He maintained an interest in conservation working as Contracting Officer for three watersheds and was a member of the Neosho Basin Advisory Committee to the Kansas Water Office. He was a member of the United Methodist Church in Cottonwood Falls where he held numerous offices. He was one of the founding members of the Twin Cities Lions Club and served as Secretary/Treasurer for many years. He was past President of the State Councils of the Soil Conservation Society of America. In retirement, he served three terms as a Board Member for Area Agency on Aging, three terms as Silver Haired Legislator, was active in community committees. He is survived by one son: James Collinsworth of Oklahoma City, OK.; two daughters: Crystal Collinsworth of Wichita, KS. and Mary Jo Stropes of Hutchinson, KS.; a brother, Harris Collinsworth of Wichita; and three grandsons: Joshua Collinsworth, Micah Collinsworth, and Julian Stropes. He was preceded in death by his parents. There will be no formal family visitation. Friends may call at the funeral home Monday, noon until 6:00 P.M. and Tuesday, 9:00 A.M. until service time. Memorial contributions to the Cottonwood Falls United Methodist Church may be sent in care of the funeral home, 201 Cherry, Cottonwood Falls, KS. 66845.Messages to the family may be left at www.brown-bennett-alexander.com.

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