James Collins

Obituary of James Patrick Collins

Jim Collins, 81, was born on July 14, 1943 in Elroy, Wisconsin with the luck of the Irish. His life was blessed and he proved it one final time on January 23, 2025 by dying peacefully in his sleep with his beloved partner, Maribeth Raullerson, by his side.  He will be missed by friends and family especially as they can no longer be rest assured of a front row parking space anytime anywhere as long as they were with Jim.

He claimed to be a mediocre basketball player but clearly he wasn’t.  He left Eau Claire, WI upon graduation from Regis High School for Dubuque, IA on a basketball scholarship to Loras College.  There he played for a year before a car accident ended his basketball career.  He had to turn his attention to studying in an effort to stay in college.  He graduated from Loras in 1966 and married Juanita Sutton.  They were happily married for 43 years before she passed in 2009.  In 2017, he reconnected with his high school sweetheart Maribeth, and they have been inseparable ever since. 

Jim was preceded in death by his parents Joseph and Violet Collins and his sisters; Mary Anne Collins Svoboda and Jane Curtis.

He is survived by his partner, Maribeth Raullerson, daughters; Kate (Ron) Nunes of Poulsbo, WA and Colleen Collins of Minneapolis, MN,  granddaughter Elizabeth (Conner) Cooke of Sitka, AK and siblings; Dan (Paula) Collins, Sheila (Chris Reisdorf) Collins and Pat (Lucy McNellis) Collins.

He tried several different careers; teaching, sales, etc. before finding his calling in health care consulting, eventually starting his own business, Informed Decisions, Inc. (IDI).

Jim loved fishing, politics, gardening and travel.  He could happily talk your ear off on any of these topics.  He led several Friendship Force exchanges and served as president of the local chapter for several years.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Lung Association or the American Heart Association.  A celebration of life will be held on Sunday April 27, 1:00-5:00 p.m. (program at 1:30) at the Everett McClay VFW Post 1296, 311 West 84th Street, Bloomington, MN 55420.

 

A Memorial Tree was planted for James
We are deeply sorry for your loss ~ the staff at Cremation Society of Minnesota
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