Colleen Proffitt

1942 - 2019

Colleen Proffitt

Pleasantville - Colleen A. Proffitt was born January 6, 1942 in Pleasantville, Iowa the daughter of Ray and Ruby Proffitt.

She graduated from Pleasantville High School with the class of 1959. Colleen worked for Des Moines neurosurgeons, Drs. Bakody and Jones from 1965 to 1974, during which time she served as Des Moines Chapter President and the State of Iowa President of the American Association of Medical Assistants. She received her BA degree from the University of Minnesota in 1974 and Master of Social Work degree from the University of Iowa in 1976. Colleen was licensed as an Independent Clinical Social Worker by the State of Iowa and was a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers. She retired as Chief, Domiciliary Care Service, Veterans Affairs Medical Center at Knoxville, Iowa in 1996. During her employment with the V.A. she received Employee of Year, the Administrators Hands and Heart Award and Excellence in Substance Abuse Treatment Program Development and Operation from the V.A. Central Office.

Colleen was a member of the Unity Church in Des Moines. She enjoyed creating art in various media, collecting sea shells and her pets. Her art, incorporating seashells, earned a first place award in the Sanibel-Captiva Shell Show. She was a charter member of Bailey-Matthews Shell Museum on Sanibel Island, Florida, where she vacationed and was a winter resident for over 35 years.

Colleen passed away on Saturday, October 19, 2019 at Accura Healthcare, in Knoxville, at the age of 77 years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Larry Proffitt; grandparents, Arlie and Dovie Proffitt and James and Jerusha Bowery; aunt, Gladys Black and her longtime companion, Harold Courtney.

Survivors include her close friends and family, Sharon Core of Pleasantville, Cindy Morgan, Kay Bauer of Knoxville, Craig and Joyce Metcalf of Pleasantville and many other cousins and friends.

Colleen has been cremated and no services are planned. Arrangements under the direction of Mason Funeral Home, Pleasantville, Iowa. Online condolences may be left at www.BertrandFuneralHomes.com.