Robert J. Collins ’37 dies at 95

Robert J. Collins '37, former Executive Vice President, Placement Director, Alumni Director, Public Relations Director, and trustee of Saint Anselm College passed away at age 95 on Sunday, Sept. 18, 2011.

While current Saint Anselm students may not directly know who Mr. Collins was, they will be familiar with residence halls Collins House and Falvey House, named for Mr. Collins and his wife, Dorothy (Falvey) Collins, who passed away six years ago.

Mr. Collins began his relationship with Saint Anselm in the fall of 1933 when he enrolled with the freshman class. From that year forward, as he liked to say, he never left the college. He maintained a special connection with Saint Anselm for 78 years as a student, dedicated employee, trusted advisor, and loyal friend.

A native of Dover, N.H., Mr. Collins attended St. Mary's Academy and Dover High School. During his time as a Saint Anselm student, Mr. Collins served as Editor-in-Chief of The Tower (the predecessor to this newspaper), managed the hockey club, and was one of the founding members of the Red Key Society at the College. After he graduated from Saint Anselm, he taught English at the College from 1937 until 1941 when he joined the U.S. Navy during World War II. After the war, he worked at the radio station WMUR, Manchester, as the national sales director from 1941 to 1955. While working at WMUR, he maintained his ties with the College by volunteering with writing college publicity materials.

In later years, Mr. Collins was active with the American Legion and was a member and former president of the Manchester Lions Club. He was also honored as the grand marshal of the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Manchester, N.H., in 2001.

During his tenure at Saint Anselm, Mr. Collins was the recorder for the Advisory Board of Trustees, eventually becoming a member of the board. "He was an advisor and confidant to every President of the College, myself included. His wisdom and steady manner were a great support to all of us," said Fr. Jonathan DeFelice, O.S.B., '69, President of the College.

"Mr. Collins was really Mr. Saint Anselm. His incredibly long association with the College, his numerous and inestimable contributions to the college's advancement are really without parallel," explained Fr. Jonathan. "He was bright, incredibly articulate, and willing to take on any task that was needed if it meant a better Saint Anselm College."

Jim Flanagan, current Vice President for College Advancement and a successor of Mr. Collins, agreed that Mr. Collins was truly Mr. Saint Anselm. "Leading by example, [Mr. Collins] taught our graduates what it meant to be an alumnus of the college. His loyalty to his college and the love of his alma mater served as an inspiration to all of our alumni," said Flanagan.

If Mr. Collins was "Mr. Saint Anselm," then his late wife, Dorothy was "Mrs. Saint Anselm." Their family stands out for having three generations of Anselmians. Mr. and Mrs. Collins had four children together, all of whom graduated from Saint Anselm: Robert "Skip" '67, Christine '73, David '77 and Brian '81. Mr. Collins and his wife were also grandparents to Timothy Powers '01, and were heavily involved with campus events throughout their lives.

"He was a wonderful man, a wonderful father," said Fr. William Sullivan, O.S.B. "He was a very well-respected man." Fr. Jonathan echoed that sentiment: "Mr. Collins was a man of deep faith. He was a Catholic gentleman in the very best sense of that word – committed to his wife, Dorothy, of many years and devoted to his children."

Mr. Collins was also a well known member in his community. He was active with the American Legion and was a member and former president of the Manchester Lions Club. He was also the grand marshal of the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in Manchester, N.H.

Fr. Jerome Joseph Day, O.S.B., '75, professor of English and pastor at Saint Raphael Parish, Manchester, added, "[Robert] and his wife Dorothy, to whom he was devoted, were tremendous supporters of Saint Raphael, which the Benedictine community operates in the city on behalf of the Diocese of Manchester. For years, he was a Eucharistic minister, a lector, a member of the parish council, the finance council and the committee charged with building the new church and school in the early 1960s. His wit, wisdom and gentle presence will be missed greatly, but they will always be at the center of my memories of Bob."

Mr. Collins' dedication to the college lasted nearly eight decades. "He was devoted completely to the mission and progress of the college," said Fr. Jonathan. Beginning on Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Saint Anselm College flag will fly at half mast for one week, honoring Mr. Robert Collins' impact on the College. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at the Abbey Church on Thursday, Sept. 22 at 10:30 a.m.