Wayne Colle
Wayne R. Colle, 84, died April 3, 2003, at Hutchinson Hospital.
He had been in failing health for several months. A former Farm Bureau Insurance agent for Marion County for 30 years, he was well known over a wide area.
Born Dec. 12, 1918, near Sterling, he was the son of the late Tony and Mabel (Pallister) Colle.
He grew up on a farm near Saxman and graduated from Lyons High School in 1936 and from Kansas State University in 1941 with a degree in agriculture.
He played saxophone in the university marching band and the ROTC band.
He began is teaching career at Denison where he met and married Eula Tosh on March 1, 1942.
From 1942 until 1946 he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps at Sioux Falls, S.D.
After the war he resumed teaching vocational agriculture at Lyndon until 1953, when he became agency manager for Farm Bureau Insurance at Marion.
He retired as agency manager in 1984 but continued working part time until 1988.
Following retirement they enjoyed traveling. He also enjoyed fishing, golfing, and working in his garden and lawn, which were showcases of excellence.
The Colles were active in community affairs and dedicated to serving the Valley United Methodist Church in Marion.
He was a member of the church, the school board, and the Marion post of the American Legion.
Survivors include his wife, Eula, of the home; three sons, Tim Colle of Wichita, Neil Colle of McPherson, and Brent Colle of Ponca City, Okla.; brothers Gene Colle of Hutchinson and Loren Colle of Sterling; sisters Betty Carol Garey of Hutchinson, Venetta Arganbright of Valentine, Neb., and Joyce Walker of San Diego, Calif.; and eight grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents and by one brother, Keith.
Services were held Monday afternoon at Valley United Methodist Church with Pastor Kennedy Mukwindidza officiating. Burial was in Marion Cemetery with military honors presented by the Fort Riley honor guard.
