COLLEN, James E. 1919 - 1998

COLLEN, TURNER, FRENCH, STECHER, ASCHE, FRIEST, TAPPS, HIGBEE, ECKBLAD, BAKER, PLONIEN

Posted By: Pat Ludeke (email)
Date: 11/20/2017 at 13:29:42

James E. Collen, 79, of Clear Lake, died Saturday, Sept. 5, 1998 at the Muse-Norris Hospice Inpatient Unit, Mason City, Iowa.

Funeral services will be held Friday, Sept. 11, at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake, with the Rev. Jana Swenson officiating. Interment will be in Memorial Park Cemetery, Mason City. Visitation will be held Thursday, Sept. 10, from 5-8 p.m. at the Ward-Van Slyke Colonial Chapel, Clear Lake. The family suggests memorials to Hospice of North Iowa or Muscular Dystrophy.

James was born April 1, 1919 in Mason City, the son of George W. and Grace (Turner) Collen. He graduated from Mason City High School in 1938 and continued his education at Mason City Junior College.

He married Florence (Floss) French on June 29, 1941 at the United Brethren Evangelical Church, Mason City. He played softball for many years in church league and also the city league.

James worked for Mason City Millworks, Deckers for seven years and then went to work at Lehigh Portland Cement Co. as a sheet metalist for 35 years, retiring in 1981. He was very active in the Lehigh Credit Union, helping with Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and was a member of A.A.L. at Zion Lutheran Church. He enjoyed the outdoors, helping his family and especially loved visiting. He was all-around family man. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Clear Lake and Lehigh Credit Union.

He is survived by his wife, Florence (Floss) Colleen, Clear Lake, five daughters, Sharon Kay Stecher and her husband, Kay, Roxboro, N.C., Barbara Rae Asche, Clear Lake, Mary Sue Friest and her husband, Robert, Clear Lake, Linda Lou Tapps and her husband, Lauren, Rio Rancho, N.M., and Jane Ann Higbee, Clear Lake; 14 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; four brothers, Robert Collen, Rochester, Minn.; Clifford Collen and his wife, Jackie, Spring Texas, Max Collen and his wife, Ardys, Naperville, Ill., and Don Collen, SedroWoolley, Wash.; four sisters, Elizabeth Eckblad, Dallas, Texas, Violet Baker, Surprise, Ariz., Betty Plonien and her husband, Bert, Arlington, Texas, and Dixie Collen, Sun City West, Ariz.

He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Harold and Clifton; and four sisters, Margaret, Dorothy, Hazel and Thelma.