Jerry Collins, 81, passed away Monday, June 5, 2023, at Harmony House in Waterloo. Visitation will be held Monday, June 12, 2023, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Counsell Woodley Funeral Home in Dumont. Funeral services will take place Tuesday, June 13, 2023, at 10:30 a.m. at the Dumont United Methodist Church. Counsell Woodley Funeral Home of Dumont is caring for Jerry and his family.
Jerry was born July 29, 1941, in Dumont, Iowa, to parents Halden and Ollie (Kriens) Collins. He was united in marriage to Diana Maye Jamison in Hampton, Iowa, on February 22, 1961. To this union four children were born: Kevin, Kim, Kathy and Kristi.
Jerry worked as a machinist for Union Pacific until his retirement. Jerry’s true passion was fishing. He ate, slept, and breathed fishing, and absolutely loved teaching the skills of fishing to his grandkids. He would regularly wake up at 3:30 in the morning to get a few casts in before work, and once he even fished during a tornado. Jerry also enjoyed going to garage sales where he would find small engine machines to work on and repair in his shop. He really could fix anything. Jerry had an extreme sweet tooth for chocolate. He also very much loved Coca-Cola, which had to be served at room temperature or warmer. Jerry had a laugh that would make the whole room laugh with him. He will be missed by those who were lucky enough to have known him.
He is survived by his daughters Kim Collins and Kristi (Mark) Reeder, sisters Debbie (Edward) Mouw and Barb Morrow, sister-in-law Cheryl Collins, son-in-law Richard Blayer, grandchildren; Patrick (Molly) O’Bryant, Audrey Gadison, Tony Reeder, Tyler Reeder, Lily Reeder, Shawn Collins, Dakota Collins, J.D. (Holly) Ball, and Austin Blayer, and several great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
Jerry was preceded in death by his parents Halden and Ollie, his wife Diana, his children Kevin Collins and Kathy Blayer, and by his brothers, Rick and Jim Collins.
counsellwoodleyfuneralhome.com
