Individual Details

Military

Name: Harry D Collier
Event Type: Military Service
Event Date: 28 Aug 1942
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Event Place: Ft Leavenworth, Kansas, United States
Birth Year: 1920
Birthplace: MISSOURI
Education Level: 4 years of high school
Civilian Occupation: Skilled mechanics and repairmen, n.e.c.
Marital Status: Single, without dependents
Military Rank: Private
Army Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Source Reference: Civil Life
Serial Number: 17059069
Affiliate ARC Identifier: 1263923
Box Film Number: 02452.102
Affiliate Publication Title: Electronic Army Serial Number Merged File, ca. 1938-1946

Death

NILES - Rev. Harry Dale Collier Jr., 87, passed away on Tuesday, March 4, in West Woods of Niles. He is survived by his wife Olive; daughters Patience (Pat) Perri of South Bend and Hope (Paul) Neal of Easton, Pa.; sons Robert (Susan) Collier of South Bend and Harry Dale (Karen) Collier III of Steelsville, Ill.; a stepdaughter, Julie Ann Demko; and two stepsons, Daniel (Sandra) Demko and Michael (Anne) Demko. He is also survived by 21 grandchildren - Lana Durham, Michael Collier, Rebecca Allen, Robert Collier, Joshua Collier, Benjamin Collier, Harry Dale Collier IV, Brian Collier, Patrick Perri III, Kevin Perri, Aaron Perri, Erin Perri, Daniel Neal, Timothy Neal, Joseph Neal, Jenny Danhoff, Katie Demko, Valerie Demko, Zackery Demko, Eliana Demko and Julia Demko - and 14 great grandchildren. Harry was born on December 9, 1920 in Kansas City, Missouri to Harry Dale and Clara (Strohmaier) Collier. On June 23, 1945, he married the former Jeanne Louise Avison who died on April 20, 1991. On April 6, 1996, he married Olive Ann Demko who survives. Harry was the beloved pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church in South Bend for almost 18 years, retiring in 1985. He then continued to serve the Lord as an interim pastor at several area churches and was a guest pastor well into his 80s. He started his calling at a church he helped build in Kansas City after being ordained in 1954 and later served at churches in Wichita, Kansas and Detroit before coming to South Bend. He started out working for a meat packing house in his hometown of Kansas City while going to high school and decided he wanted to be a cattle buyer for Swift Co. "Then one of the steers stepped on my foot and wouldn't get off no matter how hard I pushed," he said in a 2004 South Bend Tribune story. He started to look at different careers after that. During World War II, he served as a pastor's assistant at Fort Benning. Ga. and then went to college on the G.I. Bill. Harry had been active in his hometown church and was encouraged by his pastors to join the seminary. It took them a while before they finally convinced him. "God has a way sometimes when He doesn't let go," Harry said in the Tribune story. He especially enjoyed his years at Westminster and was very active in getting the congregation's youth involved in many service projects. While at Westminster, he served as chairman of the 1977 Michiana Billy Graham Crusade and led several tours to the Holy Land. On his own mission trip in 1976, he and his wife Jeanne brought back five children from Korea for others to adopt. Harry also served on several church and community boards and also was a volunteer hospital chaplain and active in the Boy Scouts. Other interests included history, genealogy, stamp collecting and photography. He was a man in full and loved a houseful of his children and grandchildren and any guests who happened by. He always had time for everyone and helped any church in need of a pastor. "I guess I am like the old fire horse," he said in the Tribune article. "I hear the bell and am ready to go." Memorial services will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 8, at Westminster Presbyterian Church. Welsheimer Family Funeral Home North is handling arrangements.