MCCOLLOUGH, Kenneth Elden

The White Mountain Independent, Show Low, Arizona ~ 06/25/2010 Kenneth Elden McCollough, 87, died June 19, 2010. He was born at the family farm in Mesa Jan. 22, 1923, to Akeman D. McCollough and Martha Tweedy McCollough. He farmed the land his grandparents settled at Baseline and Val Vista. He was a very strong, proud, self-reliant man. He graduated from Gilbert High School in 1940, and then continued his education at ASU until he returned to work at the family farm. In 1976 he retired from farming and moved to Gold Canyon. He was a proud member of the NRA, past member of the Mesa BPOE and charter member of the Mesa Country Club. In addition to farming, he operated Nancy's family ranch, the Barkley Cattle Co. in the Superstition Mountain area. Kenneth loved going to their home in Pinetop in the summer, an area he had visited since he was a small child. He was an avid hunter, fisherman and outdoorsman. He loved going to family get-togethers where he could be with the children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Kenneth is survived by his wife of 52 years, Nancy Barkley McCollough; six children Bob (Lorrie) McCollough, Jim (Coleen) McCollough, Pam (Larry) Hanson, Karen (Dave) Tiffany, Terry (Neil) Barwick and Shirley (Ron) Knight (Bob McCollough, his elder son, passed away in 1976 and brother William F. McCollough died in 2009). He is also survived by six grandchildren Rob (Angie) McCollough, Mitchell (April) McCollough, Jarrod (Felicia) McCollough, Jackie (Rob) Wilcox, Kristen (Greg) Gordon and Craig (Amanda) Knight and 11 great grandchildren. The family will have a private memorial service at a later date. Meldrum Mortuary handled arrangements.