George Edward Collins
George Edward Collins
George Edward Collins, 81, of Bethlehem, passed away on September 20, 2019 surrounded by his family at his home.
Born October 16, 1937, in Mohegan, West Virginia, he was the son of the late Henry Collins and Nannie Lee Gillespie Collins. He served 20 years in the US Navy and then was employed with Guardian Industries of Ohio and the Camfil-Farr Company of Conover.
George was a member of the Church of God in West Virginia. He was an active member of the Ruritan Club of Bethlehem, VFW, American Legion, Shriner’s International, Eastern Star, 366 Masonic Lodge of Ohio, Scottish Rites, and Fleet Reserve Assn. He loved basketball, fishing, golf, and watching all sports. He was a loving husband, father, and grandfather. He collected smurfs and was the marble champion in McDowell County, West Virginia.
In addition to his parents, George was preceded in death by his daughter, Mildred Collins; brothers, Henry Collins and Marvin Collins; and sister, Mary Alice Swiegard.
George is survived by his wife of 62 years, Dorothy Collins of the home; daughters, Sheila (James) Menge of Mechanicsville, Maryland, Nancy (Tim) Garrison of Conover, and Kathryn (Bryce Maretzki) Collins of Baltimore, Maryland; sisters, Edna Woods of Finley, Ohio, Demmie (Jim) Tidwell of Havana, Florida, and Mildred (Gregory) Spencer of Chapin, South Carolina; and grandchildren, Timothy Edward Garrison of Conover, and Annika Collins Maretzki of Baltimore, Maryland.
A celebration of life will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, September 27, 2019 in the Chapel of Drum Funeral Home in Hickory with Pastor Darrell Chase officiating. Burial with military rites will follow in Woodlawn Memorial Gardens in Hickory. The family will receive friends from 11:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. at Drum Funeral Home, Hickory prior to the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to the Bethlehem Ruritan Club, PO Box 6006, Hickory, NC 28601.
Condolences may be sent to the Collins Family at www.drumfh-hickory.com.
The Collins Family has entrusted funeral arrangements to Drum Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 940 29th Ave NE, Hickory, NC.
Branch 17 FRA is sad to learn of the Transfer of our Shipmate Collins To the staff of the Supreme Commander. We of the FRA wish to think of our departed shipmates as transferred to a heavenly ship or station where we all hope to be shipmates again.