Richard C. Collins, age 84, of S. Winfield Drive, Tiffin, died at 12:43 pm Wednesday, May 13, 2009, at Autumnwood Care Center.
Richard was born in Bucyrus, on May 13, 1925, to the late Richard and Gladys (Collins) Collins. On June 29, 1957 in St. Joseph Catholic Church, he married Nance Marie Marks, and she survives.
Also surviving are a son, Tom (Jodi) Collins of Dublin, Ohio; five grandchildren, Cade, Alison, Nicholas, Andrew, and Asher; and a brother Edward Collins of Coshocton; and nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by a daughter, Ann (Collins) Kerry, and a sister, Mary Hallett.
Mr. Collins attended St. Wendelin Grade and High Schools and was a 1951 graduate of Heidelberg College. He served in the US Navy aboard the USS Richmond during WWII. He retired from Diamond Portland Cement Company, Middlebranch, Ohio, as a district sales manager. He was an active member and lay person at St. Joseph Catholic Church through most of his active life, a member of Amvets Post 48, and the United Veterans Council Funeral Detail. Richard was also an elected Tiffin City Councilman and he enjoyed travelling.
A Memorial Mass will be at 11:00 am Saturday, May 23, 2009 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, with Rev. Joseph Szybka officiating. Per Richard’s request, his body has been donated to the University of Toledo Medical Center so that future medical professionals can learn from him. Burial with military rites will be in St. Joseph Cemetery at a later date.
Memorials may be made to St. Joseph Church, Community Hospice Care, United Mitochondrial Disease Foundation, or to the Calvert Foundation.
The family expresses special thanks to Dr. James Bosse, Father Joe Szybka, Community Hospice workers Pat Seitz HHA, Gary Saxton RN, and Alice Frazier-Snook LSW, and the staff at Autumnwood Care Center.