James Sheldon Collins
James (Jim) Collins, of Marietta, Ohio, entered eternal life, Thursday, April 16, 2015 at 7:38 pm in his home in the loving care of his family and the Marietta Home Health and Hospice.
Jim was born in Ishpeming, Michigan on August 24, 1937 to the late Sheldon and Rose (Perucco) Collins. Jim was raised in Negaunee and graduated from Negaunee High School, where he played football, wearing the number 32, and known as a “gritty” player.
Following high school, Jim enrolled at Michigan Technological University. After two years at Michigan Tech, he enlisted in the United States Navy. He served the majority of his service time in Brunswick, Maine.
Jim returned to the Upper Peninsula where he reenrolled at Michigan Tech and graduated with a Civil Engineering degree in 1964.
After graduation Jim was employed in Cincinnati, Ohio at Sinclair Oil Company. In 1967, Jim moved to Monaca, Pennsylvania, where he was employed as the Chief Engineer for construction for the Hill’s Department Stores.
On April 12, 1976, Jim married his beloved wife Sandra (Sandee) Perun, who has been by his side for the past 39 years.
Jim was a very creative inventor and in 1978 he formed his own corporation to market some of the inventions he patented. He continued in this work until his illness prohibited from carrying out the work he loved.
He was a born-again Christian and found great comfort in his early morning daily devotions. Jim was a part of a group called A.C.T.s that worked through his church, the First Baptist Church of Williamstown, West, Virginia doing voluntary repairs for people in his church family.
Jim was an avid hunter and fisherman and fondly remembered all the things his maternal Grandfather, Peter Perucco taught him about the woods. Jim loved to spend his vacations at the family San-D-Jim cottage on Mehl Lake in Gwinn, Michigan.
He is survived by his wife Sandee of Marietta Ohio; children James Sheldon.Jr. (Rhonda) Collins, Florida, Scott (Jennifer) Collins of Columbus Ohio, Robert (Emine) Collins, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, Tammy (Jeff) Tackac Rochester, Pennsylvania ; 6 grandchildren, James Sheldon Collins II, Hunter Collins, Cody Collins, Caden Colllins, Isabella Collins and Winter Rose Tackac.
Jim is also survived by his sisters Sandra (Conrad) Kontio, Champion, Michigan and Diane (Bill) Koski of Gwinn, Michigan, his brothers- in-law Steven (Debbie) Perun, Barnesville, Ohio, Tim (Susan) Perun and Tom Perun and numerous nieces and nephews.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Sheldon and Rose Collins, and his mother and father-in-law Steve and Bernice Perun.
Visitation will be held on Monday (Apr. 20) after 2:00pm at McClure-Schafer-Lankford Funeral Home with family present from 2-4 & 6-8 and at the church on Tuesday at 9:00am.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday (Apr. 21) at 10:00 am at the First Baptist Church of Williamstown. A memorial service at Mitchell United Methodist Church in Negaunee, Michigan, and internment in the Negaunee Cemetery will be scheduled for this summer. Messages of sympathy may be sent at www.Lankfordfh.com