Obituary of John J. Collins

John Collins, 67, of Onondaga Hill, passed away suddenly at his home on Thursday. John was born in Syracuse to Jack and Bea (Murphy) Collins. He grew up in Clinton, NY and later, moved back to the Tipp Hill area of Syracuse. He was a member of the 1966 graduating class of Bishop Ludden. There he met his beloved wife of 44 years, Mag, who he called "my sweet" and "darling dearest". John was a 1970 graduate of Le Moyne College. He was retired from Niagara Mohawk. John was a true gentleman. He was strong, humble and never complained despite a chronic illness that made every day a struggle. He was a man of few words, but his unexpected one-liners could make you slide down the wall with laughter. He was a skilled pitch-player, an avid reader, and he knew everything about WWII. John was an amazing husband, a wonderful father, and a patient, loving grandfather. He played an indispensible part in the caretaking of his twin grandsons, with whom he lived. His kindness, tolerance, patience and grace in the face of adversity were and will continue to be an example to everyone. John will be greatly missed by his wife, Margaret (Walker) Collins; daughter, Megan (Patrick) Kenny, of Onondaga Hill; son, Kevin of Tipp Hill; grandsons, Ronan and Tiernan; sister, Susan (Ronald) Roberts, and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. Calling hours will be Sunday, January 10, 2016 from 2 to 5 pm at the Edward J. Ryan & Son Funeral Home. Services will be Monday at 10am at St. Patrick's Church with burial to follow at St. Francis Xavier Cemetery in Marcellus. In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial contribution to the Wounded Warrior Project.