John Calvin Collier Sr.

A private graveside funeral service for John Calvin Collier Sr., 91, of Lufkin, formerly of Alto, will be Saturday, May 21, in Old Palestine Cemetery in Alto with the Rev. John C. Collier Jr. officiating. A public memorial service will be held Saturday, May 21, at noon in the Gipson Funeral Home in Lufkin.

Mr. Collier, known by his friends as JC Collier, passed away May 13, 2011, at the age of 91. JC grew up in Alto and married his wife of 71 years, Louise Watters Collier. He owned a service station and worked in the oil fields and in the Pasadena shipyards as a welder before joining the Navy and serving in the Pacific during World War II. After the war, JC owned used car lots for many years in Lufkin before becoming the sales manager at Mettauer's Lincoln and Mercury Dealer in Lufkin. At the age of 50 he started Lufkin Electric, building the business before selling the business to his late partner's sons, Vaughn and Cecil Turner, when he retired in 1984. In the late '40s and early '50s he was a member of the Angelina County Quadrill and loved to ride horses. An enthusiastic and proud supporter of youth baseball, JC was president of Lufkin Pony League in 1957 when Lufkin won the Pony League World Series. In his retirement years, JC was an avid gardener and "famous" tomato grower in the neighborhood. He enjoyed fishing, boating and golf.

While he didn't start golfing until age 65, he wore out more than one golf cart at the Lufkin Country Club in more than 20 years.
JC was preceded in death by son, Darryl Collier; brothers, Millard and Frazier; and sisters, Marjorie and Marie.

Survivors include his wife, Louise Collier, Lufkin; son and daughter-in-law, John Calvin Collier Jr. and wife Polly, Houston; sister and brother-in-law, Muzette and Don Walters, Waco; grandchildren, Darryl Collier, Salt Lake City, Utah, Charles Collier, Eugene, Ore., Angela Collier Davis, Navasota, Mark Collier, Austin, Jack Robbins, Houston, Lara Robbins, Galveston; 11 great-grandchildren; sister-in-law, Anna Collier Marshall, Dallas; brother-in-law, Jesse Beasley, Tyler; children of his heart, Ernie and Kathy Psencik, Whitehouse; numerous nieces, nephews and caretaking neighbors, friends and business associates.

Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers.

There is no visitation scheduled.

From family and friends to his faithful neighbors, John C. Collier Sr., will be missed, as we surrender his life and his death into the hands of the Creator, Redeemer and Lord of heaven and earth.

Published in Tyler Morning Telegraph on May 19, 2011