John Y. McCollister

McCollister, John Y. Jun 10, 1921 – Nov 1, 2013 He is survived by his wife Betty H. McCollister; children: John S. McCollister (Deb), Stephen J. McCollister (Pat), and Bruce C. McCollister (Cathy); grandchildren: S. Scott McCollister (Trina), Todd J. McCollister (Lania), Lauren Ledger (Dan), Daniel McCollister, Keith McCollister (Larissa), John P. McCollister (Mallory), Jeff McCollister, Beth Josten (Brian), and Molly McCollister; step-grandchildren: Matt Jackson (April), Angela Olander (Dave), Nate Jackson (Meisha); great-grandchildren and step-great-grandchildren: Aspen McCollister, Cadence McCollister, Mallory Jackson, Hudson McCollister, Andrew Ledger, Sawyer McCollister, David Ledger, Brady McCollister, Bennett McCollister, Brooklyn Olander, and Morgan Jackson. Brother R. Paul McCollister (Barbie). He was preceded in death by his parents, John M. and Ruth Y. McCollister; his first wife, Nanette S. McCollister; his brothers, Edwin S. McCollister and Howard R. McCollister. Mr. McCollister was a graduate of the University of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa, with the degree of a Bachelor of Science in Commerce. (1943) He was President of the College of Commerce Senior Class of ’43, President of the Commerce Club, President of Phi Kappa Psi social fraternity and a member of the Iowa track and cross-country teams. Upon graduation from the University of Iowa, Mr. McCollister was inducted into the United States Naval Reserve and was commissioned as Ensign in August, 1943. He was ordered to attend the Navy Radar Technical School at Harvard and MIT. Upon completion of that training in August of 1944, he served as RADAR Officer aboard the USS Birmingham, CL 62 in the Western Pacific. In January 1946 he was released to inactive duty with the rank of Lieutenant (jg) He was a Sales Representative for IBM in Moline, Illinois, and Waterloo, Iowa from 1946 to 1952. In early 1952 he became IBM Special Representative to the meat packing industry throughout the United States. He left IBM in mid-1953 to join his father in the manufacture of fluid lubricants in Omaha, Nebraska. Partially retired, he served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors, McCollister & Company, Council Bluffs, Iowa, a regional manufacturer of fluid lubricants. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the Omaha National Bank (now US Bank–Nebraska) until his election to the United States House of Representatives in 1970. A number of Omaha organizations benefited from his leadership. He served the Mid America Council, BSA, in a number of capacities including three terms as Council President. He also served as Regional Chairman and a member of the National Board of Directors of the Boy Scouts of America. Scouting awarded the Silver Beaver and the Silver Antelope to him. He was President of the Downtown Omaha Kiwanis Club, President of a school Community Club, taught church school for ten years. He was chairman of the Board of Trustees and an Elder of Dundee Presbyterian Church. He was a Mason, 32 degree KCCH Scottish Rite. He was a member of the Boards of Directors of Greater Omaha Community Action, Westside Community Schools, Omaha Chamber of Commerce, Omaha Sales Executives, Omaha Association for Retarded Children, Omaha Children’s Hospital and Iowa Association of Business and Industry. For a number of years he gave leadership to various sections of the United Fund campaigns. Recently he was a member of the Board of Trustees, Countryside Community Church in Omaha, and was chair of Countryside Church’s recent Sanctuary capital fund campaign He was an active Republican Party volunteer serving as Second District Chairman, State Executive Committee, Senior President of Nebraska Republican Founders Day, a delegate to the National Conventions in 1968 and 1988. In elective office, he was elected to be a Douglas County Commissioner twice and was elected to the US House of Representatives three times, 1971-1977. He was the Republican nominee for election to the United States Senate in 1976. He recently served as a member of the Board of Directors of the United States Association of Former Member of Congress and was chair of the Association’s Long Range Planning Committee. Private Inurnment services will be held at Countryside Community Church Columbarium. A MEMORIAL SERVICE will be held at Dundee Presbyterian Church at 10:30 a.m. on November 8, 2013, followed by a reception in the Church’s Memorial Hall. The family requests that memorials be made to the VNA Hospice program in Omaha or to a charity of your choice.

HEAFEY-HEAFEY-HOFFMANN DWORAK & CUTLER Mortuaries and Crematories 7805 West Center Road Omaha, Nebraska 68124 (402) 391-3900

1 Condolence

  • Janet L. McCollister Posted January 7, 2022 6:27 am

    Condolences from William H. MCCOLLISTER family in Shreveport, La
    Wondering the lineage connection to John. William MCCOLLISTER son of John Coleman MCCOLLISTER.

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