Obituaries

J.W. McCollum

Photo of J.W. McCollum
Prominent businessman, civic leader and Stuttgart icon J. W. McCollum passed away Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016, at his home. J.W. was born Jan. 23, 1924, in Arkansas to Otis R. and Wilma "Billie" Thomas McCollum. He was a 1941 graduate of West End High School in Nashville, Tenn., and was a World War II Navy veteran and pilot. He married Dixie Jones in 1948 and they later moved to Alabama where he began employment with Winchester Western Arms and Ammunition. He was a charter member of St. Mark United Methodist Church in Northport, Ala., where he taught the McCollum Sunday School class. J.W. and Dixie moved to Stuttgart in 1970 after purchasing Belcher Hardware which later became McCollum Hardware. They retired from the store in 1986. J.W. was active in the community serving as president of Stuttgart Industrial Development Corporation in 1974-76 and played a key role in bringing Lennox Industries to Stuttgart. He was Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce president in 1978 and was president of the Downtown Merchants Association 1982-1983 where he secured a federal grant for the downtown revitalization program. He was instrumental in pursuing a mosquito abatement program from 1978-1985 and obtained city financing for a two-year mosquito abatement program which began in 1985. He was selected as Stuttgart's Citizen of the Year in 1985 and was named Arkansas' Who's Who in 1986. J.W. developed his passion and skill for duck hunting as a young man hunting with his father and could often be found working the duck-calling counter at Mack's Sport Shop. J.W. was a duck guide for Slick McCollum Hunting Club from 1970-2003 retiring at 80 years of age. He was a member of First United Methodist Church, Ulm Civic Club, Rotary Club and American Legion. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Dixie; and daughter, Kerry Lea McCollum. Survivors are two daughters, Rhonda Randall and husband Dennis of Billings, Mont., and Jamie Wewetzer and husband Jeff of Franklin, Tenn.; and two grandsons, Damon Ratcliff and Austin Randall of Billings. Funeral services, officiated by Dr. David Bush, are at 3 p.m. Sunday at First United Methodist Church with burial following in Lone Tree Cemetery. Visitation is 4-6 p.m. Saturday at Turpin Funeral Home. His family requests memorials be made to First United Methodist Church, 307 E. Fourth St., Stuttgart, Ark. 72160, and in the memo line please put memorial for J.W. McCollum. Please go to www.turpin-co.com to sign the online guestbook.

Published November 4, 2016

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