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Obituary for John F Collins

John F  Collins
John F. Collins, Geneva, NY, (June 15, 1927 – May 25, 2017) grew up in The Bronx (and despite 40 years in Geneva, never lost his “New Yawk” accent). During World War II he served on the USS Fremont in the Pacific Theatre, followed by a proud 23-year career with the New York City Police Department, 17 of those in the Harbor Patrol. When he retired in 1978, John relocated to Geneva. In his next chapter, he became a part of the Hobart and William Smith Colleges community, serving many roles, including crewing on the HWS’s lake research vessel, serving as administrative assistant for the Hobart lacrosse program, and managing the Colleges’ van pool.
John will be remembered fondly by many HWS athletic teams for his enthusiastic support on and off the field, and for his sustained interest in the players even years after they graduated. It was not unusual for a former player to show up at John’s doorstop to introduce their son or daughter as they embarked on their own HWS education.
John lent his woodworking skills to many parts of the HWS campus, but he was particularly proud that his signature wooden “H” was awarded to a lacrosse player to commemorate his first collegiate score. Members of Hobart football teams slapped a John Collins created wooden football as they ran out of the locker room onto the field. When a football player was awarded a “game ball” by his teammates to recognize exemplary achievement on the field, the ball was accompanied by a wooden stand created by John.
He was a great fan of William Smith’s athletic programs, often on the sidelines of Heron lacrosse and soccer games and stationed at the end of the cross-country team’s matches. One Heron soccer player celebrated every collegiate goal she scored with an award of her own making: a jab to John’s arm. She scored a lot of goals, he got a lot of bruises, and he loved it.
In his long HWS career, he also served as the driver for many speakers in the President’s Forum Series, through which he met and charmed many international and national figures such as Elie Wiesel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Michael Dukakis, Dee Dee Myers, and George Stephanopoulos. But his daughters are most fond of the moment – captured for all time in a photograph – that Hillary Clinton gave this lifelong Republican a kiss on the cheek and told him that her father had been a Republican too.
In 1992, along with his daughters, John established the Collins Family Scholarship to provide financial support to deserving William Smith students. He received the Coach Bill Maxwell Memorial Award (which recognizes individuals for their sportsmanship, courage, teamwork and service to the campus community) in 2006. In recognition of his generous gifts to Hobart and William Smith, John was inducted into the Cook Parents Circle. The Hobart Class of 2012 made him an honorary member with gratitude for his friendship and support.
In one of his proudest moments, John received a doctor of humane letters degree in 2016 from Hobart and William Smith in recognition of his many years of devotion to the Colleges and its students. Thereafter, he asked to be referred to as Dr. Collins, but no one ever complied, preferring to call him “JC”.
Although an avowed and lifelong conservative who voted Republican his whole life, in 2016 he voted for the person he thought would do the best job as President: himself.

John was a charter member of the NYPD Emerald Society, and a member of the International Association of Police Officers, St. Stephen’s Church, Sampson Navy Veterans, and William Smith Herons Association.

He is survived by his daughters Maureen (William) Zupan, Jean (John) Van Etten, Jill Collins, Joan Collins and Frances (John) Rogers and son Jack Collins in addition to grandchildren Christopher and Brian (Christine) Van Etten; Michael (Thanuja) and Cathleen Zupan; Caroline, Jack and Nick Dosky; Matthew, Emma, Chloe and Thomas Rogers; and great grandchildren Emily and Brandon Zupan.

Calling hours will be held at McGuigan & Bero Funeral Home, 45 High Street, Geneva on Tuesday May 30th from 4pm to 7pm. A prayer service will held at 9:30am on Wednesday May 31st at the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at St. Stephan’s Roman Catholic Church at 10 am. Interment will be held at the Sampson Veterans Memorial Cemetery, on the site where John did his basic training and was introduced to the Finger Lakes. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Collins Family Scholarship, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, 300 Pulteney Street, Geneva, NY 14456.

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Asiatic Pacific Service Medal

US Navy

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