John J. Collins, 61 years old, passed away Wednesday, August 31, 2022, in Memorial Hospital.
John was born on May 17, 1961, in South Bend to Walton and Carolyn (Huebner) Collins. He is preceded in death by his father, Walton; his sister, Mary Carol (Dave) Kretschmar; and his sweet grandchild, Mary Joseph Little.
Left to cherish the memory of John are his loving wife, Judy (Sieczko) Collins; his mother, Carolyn Collins; daughters, Brittany (Justin) Kaufman, Brianna (Philip) Little, and Amanda (Austin Mast) Collins; granddaughters, Helen Little, Julia Little, and Laura Kaufman; his brother, Walton (Margret) Collins, III; sisters, Jeanne (Michael) Deweese and Margaret (Tony) Martin; and many nieces and nephews.
John worked for Frito-Lay for more than 30 years, starting in route sales and working his way up to headquarters in Plano, Texas, as a senior business analyst before retiring. He took great pride in his work. Meteorology was his passion. He was a member of Chi Epsilon Pi, the meteorology honor society, and had the opportunity to experience the thrill of storm chasing on the Plains. John was also a member of the Knights of Columbus and had a great interest in travel and in 20th-century history. He was a lifelong Boston Red Sox fan and an avid Aerosmith fan. He loved to attend a variety of concerts, including too many Aerosmith shows to count. John was known for his great sense of humor, particularly his “dad jokes,” and was always able to make those around him laugh. One of his favorite things to do was sit on the beach with a book in Florida, where he owned a second home. He loved the sunshine and beaches and constantly teased his family for being heat weenies!
In the last eight years of his life, he was an inspiration to so many as he fought to recover from the effects of a massive stroke. His stubbornness, faith, and perseverance led to him being able to walk again, including walking his daughter down the aisle at her wedding, and to meet his granddaughters. He and his family have deep appreciation for all the friends, family, co-workers, doctors, nurses, caregivers, and therapists who helped him along the way.
Above all, John loved his family dearly – especially his grandchildren. He will truly be missed by all.
Visitation for John will be held from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Friday, September 9, 2022, with a service to begin at 1:00 p.m., all at St. Joseph Funeral Home, 824 S. Mayflower Road. Burial will immediately follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, South Bend.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations in honor of John J. Collins may be made out to the Pet Refuge, 4626 S. Burnett Dr., South Bend, IN 46614, or to the American Stroke Association.
Condolences for the family may be made at www.sjfh.net.
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