Harold Leland McCollum

Harold L. McCollum, 99, died Wednesday, October 19, 2016 at his home at Lodge of Ashworth. A visitation will be held Wednesday, October 26, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Hamilton’s on Westown Parkway, 3601 Westown Parkway in West Des Moines, IA. Harold donated his body to the University of Iowa Medical School.

Harold was born February 11, 1917 in Bethany, Missouri to R.V. and Della McCollum. He lived in Leon, Sigourney and Oskaloosa before moving to Des Moines in 1927. He graduated from Roosevelt High School in 1933 and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Iowa in 1937 with a degree in Actuarial Science. In 1939, he married Margaret Kampmeier and together they reared two daughters and two sons.

Harold began his career in 1937 with Acacia Mutual Life in Washington, DC. In 1942, he moved to Iowa Life (now Farm Bureau) in Des Moines where he remained as actuary until 1949, except for a brief period in the U.S. Navy. In 1949, he was appointed actuary with National Travelers Insurance Company to help start that casualty company in the life insurance business. In 1958, a consolidation with National Life Company created National Travelers Life, for which he worked until his retirement in 1980 serving as Actuary, VP and Actuary and Senior VP and Actuary.

Harold played tennis for over 80 years. He earned tennis letters at Roosevelt and the University of Iowa. He won many singles and doubles titles over the years including Des Moines District singles in 1951 and 1953 and Missouri Valley men’s 55 and over doubles in 1972 and 1974. In 1974, he was one of ten charter members of the Iowa Tennis Association Hall of Fame. Because of service as a board member or officer of Des Moines, Iowa, Missouri Valley and National tennis organizations, he was given the U.S. Tennis Association’s Community Service Award in 1988. Margaret and Harold won multiple mixed doubles titles at the National Senior Olympic Games. Following Margaret’s death in 2006, the D.M. Tennis Association and the D.M. Parks Department collaborated in re-naming the McCollum-Waveland Tennis Complex to honor their life-long love of, and service to, the game of tennis.

Survivors include his children, Laura (Al) Baetz, Tom (Kay), Carol (Rod) Faino and Gordon (Lynn); eleven grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; and his good friend, Eleanor Noel. His wife, Margaret, parents and brother, James, preceded him in death.

Memorial contributions may be directed to Children & Families of Iowa, Amanda the Panda and Home Opportunities Made Easy (HOME), Inc.

Condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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