In Memory Of
James Monroe
James Monroe
James Arthur (Jim) Monroe died of a heart attack on November 4, 2005 while on safari in Tanzania and Kenya. Jim was born July 12, 1929, in Clay Center, the son of Noah and Isabel Monroe.
He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and graduated from Wyandotte High School. He attended Park College and Kansas City Junior College before transferring to Washburn University in Topeka. He served in the Central Intelligence Corp of the U.S. Army between 1951 and 1953, at which time he returned to Washburn and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1954.
On August 29, 1954, he married Virginia Marie McConnell, who survives him. He is also survived by two daughters, Erin Monroe, Cincinnati, Ohio and Elissa Monroe, Prairie Village. and their partners, Sergio Delgado and Jill Ducey. Other survivors include a brother, John Monroe, Solana Beach, California and a sister, Muriel Hanson, Lawrence and his beloved dog, Ta-Shih.
Jim worked as a salesman at Ed Marlings Furniture Store for seven years before becoming an agent with American Family Life and Casualty Insurance Company, a position he held until her retired in 1995. During his career he won many awards for his work including the company's top honor, being named an All Star agent in 1985.
Jim was very active in community affairs for many years. As a member of the Optimist club, he served in a number of offices including Club President, and District Director. He was responsible for founding the Optimist City-Wide Boy's Basketball program.
He served in a number of arts organizations. He worked with the Community Concert Series, and served on the Topeka Civic Theater Board. As its president, he was instrumental in getting a rehearsal hall built behind the theater on the levee, and was voted into the TCT Hall of Fame in 1996. He helped to organize the first Topeka Arts Council and hired its first director. However, his greatest passion was jazz. In 1969 he helped organize the Topeka Jazz Workshop Concert Series in Topeka and served this organization as its president from 1977 until his death, bringing some of the world's most famous jazz artists to Topeka. He also worked as Artistic Director of the Topeka Jazz Festival for seven years, and the Best of Kansas City Jazz series, both in conjunction with the Topeka Performing Arts Center.
Jim was nominated for the J.C. Penney's Golden Rule Award, and received the Capital Citizen Award in 2001.
He was a Charter Member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Monday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with interment in Shawnee Center Cemetery, Wakarusa.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Topeka Jazz Workshop Scholarship Fund, C/O Jim Parker, 3336 SW Belle Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66614 or to Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 2101 SW 29th, Topeka, Kansas 66611.
A special message for the family can be left online at www.PenwellGabel.com
He grew up in Kansas City, Kansas and graduated from Wyandotte High School. He attended Park College and Kansas City Junior College before transferring to Washburn University in Topeka. He served in the Central Intelligence Corp of the U.S. Army between 1951 and 1953, at which time he returned to Washburn and graduated with a degree in Business Administration in 1954.
On August 29, 1954, he married Virginia Marie McConnell, who survives him. He is also survived by two daughters, Erin Monroe, Cincinnati, Ohio and Elissa Monroe, Prairie Village. and their partners, Sergio Delgado and Jill Ducey. Other survivors include a brother, John Monroe, Solana Beach, California and a sister, Muriel Hanson, Lawrence and his beloved dog, Ta-Shih.
Jim worked as a salesman at Ed Marlings Furniture Store for seven years before becoming an agent with American Family Life and Casualty Insurance Company, a position he held until her retired in 1995. During his career he won many awards for his work including the company's top honor, being named an All Star agent in 1985.
Jim was very active in community affairs for many years. As a member of the Optimist club, he served in a number of offices including Club President, and District Director. He was responsible for founding the Optimist City-Wide Boy's Basketball program.
He served in a number of arts organizations. He worked with the Community Concert Series, and served on the Topeka Civic Theater Board. As its president, he was instrumental in getting a rehearsal hall built behind the theater on the levee, and was voted into the TCT Hall of Fame in 1996. He helped to organize the first Topeka Arts Council and hired its first director. However, his greatest passion was jazz. In 1969 he helped organize the Topeka Jazz Workshop Concert Series in Topeka and served this organization as its president from 1977 until his death, bringing some of the world's most famous jazz artists to Topeka. He also worked as Artistic Director of the Topeka Jazz Festival for seven years, and the Best of Kansas City Jazz series, both in conjunction with the Topeka Performing Arts Center.
Jim was nominated for the J.C. Penney's Golden Rule Award, and received the Capital Citizen Award in 2001.
He was a Charter Member of Our Savior's Lutheran Church.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am Monday at Our Savior's Lutheran Church with interment in Shawnee Center Cemetery, Wakarusa.
Memorial Contributions may be made to the Topeka Jazz Workshop Scholarship Fund, C/O Jim Parker, 3336 SW Belle Avenue, Topeka, Kansas 66614 or to Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 2101 SW 29th, Topeka, Kansas 66611.
A special message for the family can be left online at www.PenwellGabel.com
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of James Monroe, please visit our flower store.
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