David W. Collins,

October 17, 1953-January 19, 2016.  Dave was born in Biloxi, Mississippi to Irene Collins (Domenick) of Apache Junction, AZ and the late William Collins. He is survived by his wife of more than 14 years, Diana "Dee" (DeMate): daughter, Megan Collins of the island of Palau; son, Matthew Collins, his wife Lynn and granddaughters Emily and Sarah of Colorado Springs, CO; son, Jason Collins and his fiancée Ashley Von Burg, of Canton, OH. Also survived by a brother, Brad Collins, a sister, Diane Silbar, and a niece, Vanessa, all of Apache Junction, AZ. In addition to his father, Dave is preceded in death by his brother, Mark Collins.  Dave was a life-long resident of Stark County, except for 1 ½ years in North Carolina. He was a member of and dedicated servant at Good Shepherd and Holy Trinity Lutheran churches, Canton First Friends, Dover Church of the Harvest, and The Gathering Place in Moravian Falls, NC. He was employed at the Canton Marathon (formerly Ashland) refinery for a total of 40 years, serving in a multitude of roles. Dave was a professional musician (trombone, keyboards, piano) and music teacher, an audio technician, and a skilled woodworker; he reconditioned and resold cars for many years, hand-crafted children's toys. Dave loved trips with Dee on his Honda Goldwing, shooting guns with his friends, and helping out whenever anyone had a need. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.  All services will be held at First Friends Church in Canton. Calling hours Sunday, Jan 24, 5-8 pm and Monday, Jan 25, 10-11 am; Memorial Service at 11a.m. Arrangements are with Formet-Clevenger-Gordon Funeral Home. Condolences may be left at:  www.gordonfuneralhomes.com.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to: https://www.morningstarministries.org/bob-jones-vision-center.  The family is sincerely grateful for the outpouring of love and support at this difficult time. We love and appreciate every one of you.

Gordon (330)456-4766