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Willard Leon Elsing

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Willard Leon Elsing

Birth	:	22 Jul 1911 Kansas, USA
Death	:	17 Oct 2004 Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, USA
Burial	:	Highland Park Cemetery, Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate	:	37.3853330, -94.7040260
Description	:	Willard Elsing (1911-2004) Willard L. Elsing, consummate rockhound and founder of the Elsing Museum in Tulsa, was born in Kansas on July 22, 1911, and died at the age of 93 on October 17, 2004. His father Walter had emigrated to America from Germany in 1890 and established a cleaning business in Pittsburg, Kansas in the 1920's. As a young boy Willard became fascinated with all sorts of local collectibles, including arrowheads, ethnic artifacts, rocks and (especially) minerals. In the 1930's he left home and opened a rock and mineral shop on Route 66 near the lead-mining center... Read More	Willard Elsing (1911-2004) Willard L. Elsing, consummate rockhound and founder of the Elsing Museum in Tulsa, was born in Kansas on July 22, 1911, and died at the age of 93 on October 17, 2004. His father Walter had emigrated to America from Germany in 1890 and established a cleaning business in Pittsburg, Kansas in the 1920's. As a young boy Willard became fascinated with all sorts of local collectibles, including arrowheads, ethnic artifacts, rocks and (especially) minerals. In the 1930's he left home and opened a rock and mineral shop on Route 66 near the lead-mining center of Joplin, Missouri. Miners from throughout the Tri-State District brought him specimens which he bought for the shop, keeping many of the more interesting examples for his own growing collection. It was a great sadness to him when the Tri-State mines finally closed down. Elsing favored crystal collecting above all, and was an aesthetic collector rather than a scientific one. He preferred to buy many of his specimens at minerals shows rather than obtain them by field-collecting. He recommended comparing prices carefully to avoid being overcharged, and advised, "When you find a dealer who will take a little time to help you, stick with him." He always made a habit of reinvesting profits from specimen sales in new specimens for his collection, and he recommended joining a local club to meet other collectors and potential buyers. Elsing always kept the original labels showing what he had paid for specimens, and he endeavored never to sell anything at less than its inflation-adjusted purchase price. In his 90's, he could still quote the purchase price of specimens he had bought in the 1930's. In the early 1970's Elsing made the acquaintance of Evelyn Roberts at a seminar being held at Oral Roberts University, and eventually he agreed to transfer much of his huge collection to the Learning Resource Center of Oral Roberts University in the University Village retirement center. In 2001 the collection, still referred to as the Elsing Museum, was moved onto the campus of the university, where it can be seen today. Proudly dubbed "God's natural art museum" (Oral Roberts University is a religious institution), the museum exhibits over 3,000 specimens including a 2,900-carat Australian opal, slabs of scenic agate, Oriental jade work, Native American rarities, fossils, mineral art, and a great many attractive and interesting crystallized mineral specimens. In response to increasing visits by school groups, some new educational exhibits are planned for the future, including an indoor man-made cave. More information about the Elsing Museum at Oral Roberts University is available on the museum's website: http://elsing.oru.edu. Reference: WILSON, W.E. (2005) Died, Willard L. Ellsing, 93. Mineralogical Record, 36, 140-141.

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Willard Leon Elsing's memorial?
Willard Leon Elsing's memorial is located at: Highland Park Cemetery, Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA.
When did Willard Leon Elsing death?
Willard Leon Elsing death on 17 Oct 2004 in Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma, USA
Where are the coordinates of the Willard Leon Elsing's memorial?
Latitude: 37.3853330
Longitude: -94.7040260

Family Members:

Parent

Walter Elsing

(1885 - 1952)

Enna Ethel Elsing

(1892 - 1967)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Highland Park Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3853330, -94.7040260

2. Saint Marys Catholic Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3819570, -94.7047020

3. Timmons Chapel Columbarium
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3898300, -94.6993800

4. Mount Olive Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3944016, -94.6971970

5. Zion Lutheran Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3927994, -94.6857986

6. Beecher-Hammond Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3936600, -94.7253500

7. Langdon Lane Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3529800, -94.7052500

8. Dietz Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4180984, -94.7375031

9. Rowe Cemetery
Pittsburg, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4018010, -94.6503930

10. Crocker Cemetery
Pleasant View Township, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3377991, -94.6718979

11. Bird Cemetery
Weir, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3241800, -94.7069600

12. West Union Cemetery
Chicopee, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4036500, -94.7781800

13. Frontenac Cemetery
Frontenac, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4542007, -94.6766968

14. Mount Carmel Cemetery
Frontenac, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4552994, -94.6789017

15. Opolis Oak Hill Cemetery
Opolis, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3525900, -94.6178730

16. Shirley Cemetery
Frontenac, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4768930, -94.7047340

17. Lone Star Cemetery
Frontenac, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4768982, -94.7043991

18. Saint Anthony Cemetery
Weir, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3022003, -94.7593994

19. Cherokee Cemetery
Cherokee, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3605995, -94.8292007

20. Beulah Cemetery
Beulah, Crawford County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4397011, -94.8153000

21. Weir Cemetery
Weir, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3034200, -94.7890800

22. Hosey Hill Cemetery
Weir, Cherokee County, USA
Coordinate: 37.3122750, -94.8099607

23. Mindenmines Cemetery
Mindenmines, Barton County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4639381, -94.5913460

24. Yale Cemetery
Mindenmines, Barton County, USA
Coordinate: 37.4836900, -94.6155000