Collier Wenderoth Jr.

Collier Wenderoth, Jr., one of the true pioneers in the Arkansas poultry industry, passed from this life on Monday, June 6, 2011, in Fort Smith, Arkansas. He was born on December 2, 1923 in Fort Smith. Wenderoth was Chairman of the Board of O. K. Industries, Inc., but had been residing in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida for many years.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Collier Wenderoth, Sr. and Virginia Wenderoth Caldwell.

He is survived by his wife of 65 years Nancy; he was “Daddy” to four daughters and their spouses: Nancy and Harry Robinson of Fort Smith; Gingie and Marc Watson of Marietta, Georgia; Janie and Randall W. Goins of Fort Smith, and Sally and James Jones of Little Rock, Arkansas; one sister, Nan Wenderoth Pierce of Hot Springs, Arkansas; he was “Papa Collier” to fourteen grandchildren: Tripp Smith, Trent Goins, Jenny Pillar, Renee Durham, Sara Robinson and Amanda Robinson of Fort Smith; Collier Smith, Katie Robinson, and Margaret Ferguson, of Fayetteville, Arkansas; Aimee Leigh’ Miskov of St. Louis; Marc Watson, Jr., of Sandy Springs, Georgia; Nancy Cole of Frisco, Texas; Virginia Watson of Marietta, Georgia; Allison Singleton of Dallas, Texas; and thirteen great-grandchildren; four nephews: Bill Pierce, Collier Pierce, James Pierce and John Pierce; and three cousins: Virginia Kittredge, Col. Fred Boynton and Sue McGehee.

Wenderoth was a graduate of Kemper Military School and received his Bachelor of Science in Commerce after World War II at Washington & Lee University, where he was a member of Phi Delta Theta. His military service included 2 years he served in Italy as a member of the Army Air Corps. He was a member of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Smith, where he served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, elder and trustee. In Florida he attended The Chapel at Sawgrass. At the time of his death, Wenderoth was serving on the First National Bank Board of Directors.

Returning to Fort Smith after the war, Collier and his wife Nancy raised their four daughters and he began his career selling feed for O. K. Feed Mills, Inc. Following his father’s death in 1955, he became president of the company; when his mother resigned as chairman of the board, Wenderoth assumed that title as well and restructured the company under the name O. K. Industries, Inc., a privately held company owned by his family. Under Wenderoth’s leadership, O. K. Industries and its subsidiaries, headquartered in Fort Smith in a building designed by him, brought industrial development and jobs to the Fort Smith area as well as to eastern Oklahoma, and today this corporation employees 3500 people in Fort Smith, Heavener, Stigler and Muldrow, Oklahoma.

His record of public service includes two terms as Chairman of the Board of the National Chicken Council and the Arkansas Poultry Federation (The Poultry Federation); the Fort Smith Chamber of Commerce, and Sparks Medical Center. He was president of the Midwest Feed Manufacturers Association; he was a board member of the United Fund (United Way), the Girls’ Club (Girls’, Inc.) and Fort Smith Junior College (University of Arkansas, Fort Smith). Wenderoth was an Honorary Lifetime Member of the National Chicken Council in Washington, D.C. and also received their “Broiler Industry Pioneer” award. He was selected as “Man of the Year” by the Arkansas Poultry Federation on two occasions. Wenderoth had served as Chairman of the Agricultural Committee of the National Chamber of Commerce.

In 2007, Wenderoth was honored with The Spirit of the Frontier award by the City of Fort Smith. In 2009, he was inducted into the Arkansas Agriculture Hall of Fame for his outstanding leadership in the development of agriculture in Arkansas.

Wenderoth was proud to be named as one of the 32 pioneers in the poultry processing industry by the Poultry Center of Excellence at the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. In recognition of this award, a replica of the original plaque given to Wenderoth was placed in the corporate headquarters as a reminder of his many significant contributions that have created jobs for so many. He will be fondly remembered as “The Chicken Man”.

Wenderoth loved his wife, his children, and all his grandchildren, but he especially loved the United States of America and the free enterprise system. He proudly wore the American flag pin and flew the flag in his backyard in Fort Smith. In his younger days, before arthritis made it impossible for him to do so, he loved to play golf at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith and at the courses in Ponte Vedra Beach. Wenderoth was an avid reader, including among his daily habits reading the Bible, the Wall Street Journal and other news publications. He enjoyed swimming and loved to sit on the beach at his home in Ponte Vedra and read. His other great enjoyment was his flying ability, and he and Nancy made two trips in their private plane around the world. He enjoyed being able to fly his Cessna CJ2+ and kept his private pilot’s license active.

Wenderoth always loved dogs, and his beloved German Shepherd Heidi and Great Pyrenees Caruso will miss the attention he lavished on them.

The family will visit with friends on Wednesday evening at Edwards Funeral Home, 201 North 12th Street, Fort Smith, from 5 to 7 PM. Memorial services will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 116 North 12th at 11 AM on Thursday, June 9th. Private burial will be at Forest Park Cemetery in Fort Smith under the direction of Edwards Funeral Home.

Active Pallbearers will be his grandsons: Tripp Smith, Collier Smith, Marc Watson, Jr., and Trent Goins; and his sons-in-law: Harry Robinson; Marc Watson, Sr.; Randall W. Goins and James Jones.

Honorary Pallbearers will be the members of the Board of Directors of O. K. Industries, Inc.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to: Collier Wenderoth Memorial Fund at First Presbyterian Church; The Chapel at Sawgrass, P O Box 3205, Ponte Vedra Beach, FL 32004, or the charity of one’s choice.

Online condolences may be sent to www.edwardsfuneralhome.com