James C. Kenworthy

James C. "Jim" Kenworthy, 72 of Independence, passed away peacefully at his home at 10:48 a.m., on Thursday, January 2, 2020, surrounded by his loving wife and wonderful caregivers.

He was born November 20, 1947, in Parsons, Kansas, to Jack William and Norma I. (Jones) Kenworthy, the seventh of ten children. He grew up in Dennis, Kansas, where he attended grade school and graduated from Labette County Community High School in Altamont, Kansas, in 1965. Following graduation, he moved to Wichita, Kansas, where he worked as a welder for a short time before moving to Tillamook, Oregon, where he married Susie Swetland in February of 1966. The couple later divorced in 1997. In Tillamook, he worked in a saw mill and as a carpenter before moving to Salem, Oregon, to attend Chemeketa Community College to study Building Inspection Technology and Project Management. Upon graduation Jim and his family settled in Carlton, Oregon.  He worked as Building Official for the cities of Tualatin and Beaverton. Jim was Oregon Chapter President of the Oregon Building Officials Association (OBOA) and served as OBOA State President in 1993-94. He also taught classes in Building Inspection Technology and Fire Management at Chemeketa Community College. After Jim's divorce, he moved to Klamath Falls, Oregon, and worked at Klamath County Building Department and later became Fire Marshal for Klamath Fire District #1.

His favorite hobbies were fishing with his children and grandchildren in Klamath Lake, hunting with his son in the mountains in various Northwestern states and golfing with his best friend, Rex Turner.

In 2013 he moved back to Kansas and has lived here since. After moving back to Kansas, he married his high school sweetheart, Merle Jean (Boss) King on August 24, 2015, in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She survives at their home.

Survivors include:

His wife –Merle Jean, of the home

One son – Michael Kenworthy (Lori) of Creswell, Oregon

Two daughters – Tammy Schuck (Jim) of Creswell, Oregon

Patty Sauers (Craig) of Yamhill, Oregon

Three step-daughters - LeAnn Hull (Dan) of Olathe, Kansas

Gina Guidie (Jon) of Carthage, Missouri

Nikki Adkison of Mound Valley, Kansas

One brother - Melvin Kenworthy of Scranton, Kansas

Four sisters - Charlotte Sisseck of Yukon, Oklahoma

Peggy Cunningham (Bob) of Altamont, Kansas

Bonnie Cunningham (John) of Altamont, Kansas

Suzie Harper of Newton, Kansas

One sister-in-law - Patsy (Lewis) Kenworthy, of Mound Valley, Kansas, widow of Jack Kenworthy

Twenty-two grandchildren

Three great grandchildren. He was anxiously awaiting the arrival of four more great-grandchildren in 2020.

He was preceded in death by his parents; three brothers, Orville, Tony, and Jack Kenworthy; one sister, Jeannie O'Neal; and brothers-in-law, Charles Sisseck and Don O'Neal; and nephew, Zeke Kenworthy.

Funeral services will be held at the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home in Parsons, Kansas, at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, January 7, 2020. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 6:00-8:00 p.m. Monday, January 6, 2020. Memorial contributions in memory of Jim are suggested to the Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. These contributions may be left at or mailed to the Forbes-Hoffman Funeral Home, 405 Main Street, P.O. Box 374, Parsons, Kansas 67357.