Robert J. Collins

Robert J. Collins, age 78, of Mattoon, Illinois, passed away at 10:12 a.m., Sunday, September 7, 2008 at the Sarah Bush Lincoln Health Care Center of Mattoon, Illinois. The Mass of Resurrection will begin at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, September 10, 2008, at the Immaculate Conception Church in Mattoon, Illinois with Reverend Dennis Kollross officiating. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 4:00-7:00 p.m., at Mitchell-Jerdan Funeral Home, 1200 Wabash Avenue, Mattoon, Illinois, with Biblical Wake Service beginning at 4:00 p.m., then again on Thursday from 9 a.m.-11:00 a.m. at The Healy Chapel, 332 W. Downer Place, Aurora, Illinois. Graveside services will begin at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at the Mt. Olivet Cemetery, also in Aurora, Illinois. Mr. Collins was born May 17, 1930, in Aurora, Illinois, the son of Dr. Richard K. and Marie M. (Flannigan) Collins. He married Helen J. Meyer on June 14, 1952. She survives. Other survivors include their children, Patrick Collins of Montgomery, Illinois, Brian Collins and wife Laura (Waters) of Mattoon, Illinois, Kathleen (Collins) Nass and husband Jim of Aurora, Illinois, John Collins and wife Eva (Renolds) of Chicago, Illinois, and Robert J. Collins, Jr. and wife Mary Jane (Escobar) of New York, New York; a sister, Marie Clare Schmitt and husband Ed of Aurora, Illinois; two sisters-in-law, Ann Collins of Chicago, Illinois, and Patti (Myer) Hamingson and husband Dean of Rochester, New York; a brother-in-law, Jack Meyer of Havelock, North Carolina. He leaves eight grandchildren, Sean Collins of Bloomington, Illinois, Michael Collins of Montgomery, Illinois, Courtney Collins of Montgomery, Illinois, James Nass of Aurora, Illinois, Spencer Nass of Aurora, Illinois, Mathew Nass of Aurora, Illinois, Keilani Collins of New York, New York, and Ivy Collins of Chicago, Illinois. He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Richard and Dennis Collins; and one granddaughter, Holly Collins. Bob graduated from the Marmion Military Academy in Aurora, Illinois, and then De Paul University in Chicago, Illinois. He served our country with the United States Coast Guard from 1949 to 1959. Later, after having been employed by IBM Corporation in Aurora, Illinois and Chicago, Illinois for 17 years, he then brought his family to Mattoon, Illinois to open the McDonald''s Restaurant on South Route 45. Bob was a member of the Immaculate Conception Church of Mattoon, Illinois, a former member of the Knights of Columbus and former member and past president of the Sunrise Rotary Club in Mattoon, Illinois. He was also a recipient of the Mattoon Rotary Club''s Paul Harris Award. After retiring, Bob and Helen loved to travel. They had visited his beloved Ireland where he kissed the Blarney Stone, France, Italy, Spain, Prague, Poland, Vienna, Budapest, Germany, Morocco, the Greek Islands, Turkey, and this past May had been to China. In addition to travelling with Helen, Bob cherished spending time with their children and grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, P.O. Box 468, Mattoon, Illinois, 61938, or the Mattoon Senior Center, 204 S. 21st St., Mattoon, Illinois, 61943. Please visit www.mitchell-jerdan.com to light a virtual candle or share a memory with his family.

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Robert J. Collins

May 17, 1930 - September 7, 2008