Percy Emerson

Percy Abbott Emerson, 92, of Olathe, died peacefully after a short illness, Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2012 at Delmar Gardens of Lenexa. He was the son of Roy and Ruby Mae (Abbott) Emerson, born April 11, 1920 in Dorsey, Nebraska. In the late 1920's, the family left the farm in Dorsey for Verdigris, and later, Neligh, Nebraska.
Percy served in the Civilian Conservation Corps after high school, and during WWII was an airplane mechanic in England in the Army Air Corps. After the war, he attended the University of Nebraska on the GI bill, receiving his degree in civil engineering. He came to Kansas to work for the U.S. Geological Survey before going to work for the Kansas Dept. of Transportation. There, he worked for a few years in design in Topeka, but preferred field work, which he did from 1959 until he retired in 1985.
While in Topeka, he met Doris Marie Allison, and they were married October 23, 1954. In 1959, they moved to Marysville, KS and in 1964, to Olathe. They were married for 50 years before her death from Alzheimer's in 2005.
Percy was for a number of years an avid ham radio operator. He liked to grow (and eat!) tomatoes, and he was good at both. He also liked to go to auctions, build birdhouses, tinker with tools, tell stories, play cards (especially with his family), and read. He had a mischievous twinkle in his eye, which stayed with him to the end.
Preceding him in death were his parents, wife Doris, and all six of his siblings: John Emerson in infancy, Roy Clement Emerson during WWII, Ruby Klinetobe in 1946, and in recent years Warren Emerson and his wife Una, Ruth Johnson and her husband Clarence, and Mary Olson and her husband, Kelly. He is survived by his daughter, Lisa A. Emerson, and son, Roy C. Emerson, both of Olathe, and many loving nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
Cremation. A memorial service will be held at Penwell-Gabel Olathe Chapel, 14275 S Blackbob, Olathe, on Friday, October 12, 2012 at 3:30pm, with visitation beginning at 2:30pm.
Memorial contributions may be given to Kansas City Hospice, 10100 W. 87th Street, Suite 100, Overland Park, KS 66212. 913-894-8228, kansascityhospice.org, or to the Alzheimer's Association, 3846 W. 75th Street, Prairie Village, KS 66208, 913-831-3888.