grave import

Obituary

John Lorenz Collins, aged 88, died Tuesday, March 5, 2013 at Great River Medical Center of cardiac arrest. He was born July 20, 1924 in Burlington, Iowa to John Lawrence Collins, and Phyllis Naumann Collins. He lived in Burlington to the age of two weeks, when his family moved to Shaker Heights, Ohio. He always referred to Burlington as his hometown because he spent at least part of nearly every summer with his grandparents at 1448 West Avenue. He had an older sister, Phyllis, who he referred to as "the brains in the family", and a younger brother, David, who was drafted out of high school as a baseball pitcher by the Cleveland Indians. John graduated from Shaker Heights High school in 1942 with his best friend, Paul Newman, the actor. In high school, John was the leader of the technical crew for the high school plays and Paul was on his crew, but was not an actor at the time. John served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a triple rated instructor, certified to teach pilots, navigators and bombardiers. He flew the A-26 attack bomber and was on his way to the Pacific theater for the attack on Japan when Japan capitulated following the atomic bomb attacks. He was very proud of his flying skills and loved describing the stars he used as navigational aids. Following his service, he studied at Case Western Reserve, receiving academic credit for his course work as a pilot, earning a degree in marketing in 1946. In 1945, he attended a cocktail party hosted by his parents and grandparents at 1448 West Avenue, where he met Dolores Leopold, another Burlington resident. Dolores and he married in 1947. In 1948, their only surviving child, John Leopold Collins was born in Cleveland, Ohio. Originally interested in a career in broadcasting, John worked for several radio stations as an announcer and writer. Realizing the likelihood of financial success in the broadcasting field was a long shot, he pursued a career as a salesman for the Fuller Brush Company, Chittenden and Eastman Furniture Company, and the Leopold Desk Company, retiring in 1967. The last six years of his sales career, he and his family lived in Chappaqua, New York, and he commuted to New York City daily. After his retirement, he returned to his beloved home in Burlington where he managed his investments and renewed his interest in golf, becoming club champion of the Burlington Golf Club. He also served as chairman of the Board of Directors for the BGC from 1973-74 and 1977-78. In 1988, he achieved a hole in one on the par 3 13th hole at the BGC. He was a devoted duck hunter for many years, serving in many capacities for the New Crystal Lake Club. He also served as chairman of the citizen's advocacy group CRISP. When he could no longer play golf because of a shoulder injury, he became a devoted and competitive rummy player, whether winning or losing at the card table at the BGC. His beloved wife, Dolores, preceded him in death in 1996. He was proud of his achievements, loved his family, and a loyal supporter for his friends and his hometown of Burlington. The Funeral Mass for John Lorenz Collins will be held on Saturday, March 9, 2013 at 9:30 a.m. at St. Paul Catholic Church, Burlington, Iowa. Fr. Bruce DeRammelaere will be the Celebrant. Music will be provided by the Des Moines County Resurrection Choir. Interment will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Friday evening from 7:00 until 8:30 p.m. at Prugh’s Chapel. A memorial has been established for the Des Moines County Historical Society Endowment.