Individual Details

Death

Harold Forest "Jack" Collins, 88, of Harrisonburg passed away Friday, November 29, 2013 at his home surrounded by his loving family. Harold was born in Huttonsville, WV on March 7, 1925 & was the son of the late George Forrest & Maude Virginia Boggs Collins. He was a graduate of Tygarts Valley High School in Mill Creek, WV. He served in the Marine Corps during WWII from 1940-1943 on the troop carrier, the USS Wakefield. During his tour the Wakefield made 43 crossings to Europe and back. On September 21, 1947 he married Josephine Helen Wamsley. On Saturday (the day before his Sunday wedding) he stopped in Fort Pitt Shoe Store in Elkins, WV to purchase a pair of shoes for the wedding, was offered a manager trainee job & thus begun a lifelong career in the shoe business. In 1968 he moved his family from Waynesboro, Va to Harrisonburg, Va to operate the newly opened Jackson & Hise Shoe Store. When Mr. Hise passed away Harold & his wife bought the store renaming it Jack-Collins Shoe Store which became a highly popular & successful downtown business. They sold the business in 1990 & retired from selling shoes. He then turned to farming which he truly loved. He farmed until he was ready to travel & spend more time with family & friends. He & Josephine took many bus trips, visited, attended church and became regulars at Hardees early morning social gatherings. He was well known for his generous ways & friendly hugs. He was preceded in death by brothers Carl, Boggs & Lee & sister, Mary Miller. Harold is survived by his wife of 66 years, Josephine; daughters, Pam Craig & husband, Ronnie of Waynesboro, and Karen Tusing & husband, Steve of Broadway; son Randy Collins & wife, Pam of Mount Crawford; brother, Charles Collins of Waynesboro; sister, Adelaide Kesterson of Parkersburg, WV; six grandchildren, Travis Craig & wife Melinda, Brian "B.J" Tusing & wife Janeéa, Sarah Mundy & husband Zack, Joshua Collins & wife Corri, Daniel Collins & wife Martha, and Lourdes Fernandez; sixteen great-grandchildren, Tiffanie Craig & fiancé, Michael Hahn, Aaron & Trevor Craig, August & Savannah Smith, Shayleigh & Dixie Tusing, Ivan & Josie Mundy, Taylor & Charlie Poulton, Caleb & Cameran Collins, Autumn & Sierra Nesselrodt & River Collins; two great-great-grandchildren, Adelyn & Everly Hahn; and numerous nieces and nephews The family will receive friends from 6:00-8:00 pm Tuesday evening December 3 at the Kyger Funeral Home in Harrisonburg. A private entombment service will be held at Eastlawn Memorial Gardens with Pastor Jan G. Owen officiating. A Celebration of Life Service will be held December 14, 2013 at 2:00 pm at Mount Olive Presbyterian Church in Rawley Springs. In lieu of flowers, please send memorial gifts to Mount Olive Presbyterian Church, 9148 Rawley Pike, Hinton, Va 22831 and/or Victory Fellowship Church, PO Box 326, Dayton, Va. 22821.