James W. Woosley, Sr.

James W. Woosley, Sr., 92, of Princeton, Kansas passed away Tuesday, December 3, 2019, at AdventHealth Ottawa. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P.M., Friday, December 6, 2019, at Dengel & Son Mortuary. Family will meet with friends from 6:30 P.M. to 7:30 P.M., Thursday, December 5, 2019, at the mortuary. Interment Princeton Cemetery, Princeton, Kansas, with military honors by Fort Riley Honor Guard. James was born April 11, 1927 in Longmont, Colorado, the son of William Benjamin and Letha (Barnes) Woosley. He grew up in the Savannah/St. Joseph, Missouri area. Following his military service, he located to Springfield, Massachusetts for many years moving to Wathena, Kansas in 1969. In 1988, James moved to Princeton where he lived until his death. James served in the United States Army Air Corps during World War II as a Medical Corpsman from 1945 to 1947. James was united in marriage to Elaine Theresa Brueno December 13, 1947 in Springfield, Massachusetts. She preceded him in death on June 18, 2017. He was also preceded in death by his parents; son, James W. Woosley, Jr.; five brothers, Marvin, Morris, Bill, Bob, and Leonard; four sisters, Virginia, Betty Jane, Louella, and Bea; daughter-in-law, Karen Woosley; and two sons-in-law, Charles Yon and George Smith, Jr. Survivors include his eight children, Sally Yon (John Lombard) of Chappell, South Carolina, Donna Smith of Westphalia, Kansas, Jane (Robert) Geiler of Princeton, Kansas, Elaine (Chuck) Seward of Ottawa, Kansas, Cindy (Lonnie) Davis of Princeton, Kansas, Laurie (Dan) Johnson of Topeka, Kansas, William Woosley of Garnett, Kansas, and Thomas (Sheila) Woosley of Dardanelle, Arkansas. With the love dad had for his children, he raised a granddaughter as one of his own, Jennifer (Bruce) Chambers of Burlington, Kansas. Also surviving is a sister, Joyce (Benny) Wybel of Savannah, Missouri; twenty-seven grandchildren, fifty-one great-grandchildren, and sixteen great-great-grandchildren. James worked at Peerless Foods; Central Appliance as an appliance repairman and American Saw as a production worker all in Springfield, Massachusetts from the late 1950’s to 1969. He was employed at St. Joseph Stock Yard in maintenance and Woodbury Exterminators in pest control both in St. Joseph, Missouri from the 1970’s to 1980’s. He attended North Baptist Church of Ottawa. James loved to fish, woodworking, picnics, whistling and watching westerns. Above all, he loved his family and the time they spent together. The family suggests memorial contributions to Richmond Healthcare c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067.