R.
Clayton 'Doc' Ainsworth
R. Clayton "Doc"
Ainsworth, 88, of Mason City died Tuesday (Nov. 11, 2003) at 4:24
a.m. at Mason City Area Nursing Home.
Visitation was on Friday at Hurley Funeral Home in Mason City.
His funeral was Saturday
morning at Mason City United Presbyterian Church,
with the Rev. Randall Paine officiating.
Burial is in
Mason City Cemetery.
Mr. Ainsworth was a
hybrid corn breeder. He worked for Iowa State University and Funk
Brothers Seed Company before founding Ainsworth Seed Company in
1941. He was the third generation of Ainsworths in seed corn
production.
He was born Feb. 18,
1915, in Springfield to Ralph and Florence Barber Ainsworth. He
married Ruth Rigdon on July 12, 1941, in Petersburg. She died in
1994.
Survivors are one
son, Thomas (and Peggy) Ainsworth of Mason City, and three
grandchildren.
He was also preceded
in death by one brother, one sister and two sons, Joseph and James
Ainsworth.
He graduated from the
University of Illinois with a bachelor's degree in 1937 and received
his master's degree from the U of I in 1940.
He was a founder and
past president of Soybean Research Foundation, one of the first
private soybean breeding organizations. He was a former director and
past president of Illinois Foundation Seeds Inc. and Illinois Crop
Improvement Association.
He was a former
director of Mason City National Bank and chairman of Mason City
Drainage District.
He was a member of
the Mason City United Presbyterian Church, where he served as
trustee and elder.
He was also a member
of the Mason City Rotary Club and Lincoln Elks Lodge 914.
Memorial contributions may be made to the
United Presbyterian Church in Mason City or the Wayne J. Schall
Hospice Fund.
