Grandfather, teacher, award-winning volunteer

Minor Collinsworth died in his sleep from advanced Alzheimer’s disease at home under hospice care on April 29 at age 78. Eight years earlier he had been diagnosed with minor cognitive impairment. He followed the exceptional care of his coaching nurse, ate vegetables for breakfast, slept well, and rode his bike eight miles a day, but couldn’t overcome two genes for Alzheimer’s.

Minor was born September 12, 1945 in Newport, Arkansas, the son of Minor and Pauline Collinsworth. In 1956 his family moved to Covina so that his mother could teach elementary school in the Bassett district. A graduate of Charter Oak High School, he earned a B.A. in social science from Cal Poly, Pomona, and an M.A., also in social science, from Cal State Los Angeles. He taught history and economics for more than three decades at Azusa High School, where he was awarded teacher of the year by the class of 1999.

In 1977 he married English teacher Jean Bayne, and they had three sons before moving to Claremont in 1997. During vacations he led the family into backpacking, hiking, biking, and skiing in beautiful settings in the West. Favorite activities included cross-country skiing around Mammoth Lakes and mountain biking on rail trails.

When the family attended Claremont Presbyterian Church, he helped chaperone youth trips to visit the Hmong in Fresno and to raft the American River. Over the years, he valued the family mentorship provided by ministers Bear Ride Scott, John Najarian, and Sandy Tice.

After retirement he volunteered at the Beta Program Center food bank in Pomona, earning an LA County Volunteer of the Year award in 2011. He also spent many hours riding his bike in the Claremont Wilderness Park, up Claraboya, through Evey Canyon, and to Potato Mountain.

He is survived by his sister, Millicent Krantz (Gary); wife Jean; sons Bryan (Joanna), Scott (Kimberly), and Seth (Brittney); and grandchildren Harrison, Adalynn, Lauren, and Lexi.

Food donations in his memory may be made to the Beta Program Center at 209 W. Pearl St., Pomona 91768. Monetary donations may be made to Inland Valley Hope Partners at inlandvalleyhopepartners.org/Ways-To-Help; Claremont Presbyterian Church at claremontpres.org/giving-2; or Rails to Trails at railstotrails.org/state/california.