Wilda I. Insley

Wilda I. Insley

Wilda I. Insley, age 87, of Fort Scott, Kan., more recently of Olathe, Kan., passed away Sunday afternoon, April 29, 2018, at The University of Kansas Medical Center. She was born Jan. 22, 1931, in Fort Scott, Kan., the daughter of Joseph Richard Crystal and Elva Pauline Beerbower Crystal. She married Curtis Richard Insley on Aug. 23, 1950, in Bentonville, Ark. Wilda graduated from Arcadia High School with the class of 1948. Following her graduation, she worked that summer as a nurse’s aide for Mercy Hospital. She was later employed by The Western Insurance Company and Montgomery Ward. Her employment with the City of Fort Scott included 16 years as a clerk with the water department. Then on May 18, 1979, she became the city clerk where she served for 13 years until her retirement in 1992. Wilda and husband Curtis enjoyed traveling and genealogy research. Their travels included the annual reunion of The Company A of the United States Army Fifth Combat Engineer Battalion. These trips included travels around the United States which were hosted by the former soldiers and their families. Wilda and Curtis hosted the event in Fort Scott on two different occasions. She was a long-time member of the Fort Scott Lioness Club and a member of The First Presbyterian Church. She enjoyed playing card games and dominoes with family and friends, and attending sporting activities of the grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephews and nieces.

Wilda is survived by daughters Sondra Cowen and husband Larry of Fort Scott, Kan., and Karen O’Bryan and husband Joseph of Olathe, Kan.; three grandchildren, Monica Harvey and husband David of Blue Springs, Mo., Afton Brown and husband Chad of Fort Scott, Kan., and Dustin Willard of Olathe, Kan.; three great grandchildren, Banks and Madison Brown of Fort Scott, Kan., and Noah Harvey of Blue Springs, Mo.; one brother Frank Crystal and Yvonne Beck, and one sister Carolyn Crystal, all of Fort Scott, Kan.; as well as several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Curtis; an infant sister Darlene Faye Crystal; her brother James Dale Crystal; and sister-in-law Juanita Jo Crystal.

Pastor Jeff Dillow will conduct funeral services at 10 a.m. Friday, May 4, at the First Presbyterian Church, Fort Scott. Burial will follow in the U.S. National Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 until 7 Thursday evening at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Memorials are suggested to either the American Diabetes Association or the First Presbyterian Church and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.