Dannie Ray Collins, 79, a fun-loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend, went fishing in heaven on Aug. 22, 2018, at Mercy Hospital in Janesville, with family by his side.
Dannie was born Oct. 29, 1938, to Ray and Kathleen (Budde) Collins. He grew up on the family farm and graduated from Ontario High School in 1957, and lived there until joining the United States Army, serving for three years. He moved to Janesville in 1962 and worked at GM for 31 years. Later in his retirement years, he worked for Badger State Auction Service, which he so enjoyed.
On April 16, 1966, Dannie married his soulmate Sandra Downing, at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa, with a reception following in Ontario. Together they had three children and adopted one son. They enjoyed 52 wonderful years of marriage. In 1992, he received a lifesaving kidney donor transplant, which he had for 22 years! This gift allowed him to take many trips with his wife, spending every summer with family and friends at the lake, and watching his grandkids, whom he was so very proud of, grow into adults. He enjoyed watching all the activities they participated in and was one of their biggest fans!
Dannie’s favorite sport was baseball! After his high school years, he continued to play for the Ontario League, and then continued his passion by coaching the Afton A’s Teener Team for eight years. He was an avid fisherman and enjoyed hunting. He took a few trips out West elk hunting, but most of all he loved hunting with his son and eight grandsons. Oh, the stories he could share! He will always be remembered for his sharp-looking cowboy hat, his easy smile, the raised eyebrow/twinkle in his eye and his gift to gab. He endured many medical conditions in his lifetime but always with a positive attitude and always said, “Every day is a good day!” He will be missed by so many lives that he has touched.
Dannie is survived by his wife, Sandra; a daughter, Shelley (Ben) Wellnitz of Janesville; two sons, Richard of Janesville and Troy (Carol) of Potosi, Wis.; 13 grandchildren, Mitch (Jess), Greg (Sarah), Devin, Erica and Josh Wellnitz, Felicia, Jordan, Trevor and Selinah Collins, Corey Goad, and Travis, Tanner, and Cal Collins; one great-granddaughter, Lydia Collins; a sister, Shirley (Carl) Dogs of Mauston; a brother-in-law, Lloyd Switz of Ontario; a sister-in-law, Shirley Collins of Janesville; a brother-in-law, Jerry (Rita) Downing of Janesville; four sisters in-law, Colleen (Dave) Springman of Tomah, Rosella Pohl and Janet Tainter of Ontario, and Janeen (Ken) Jameson of Cambridge, Wis.; and many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents and parents in-law; his infant daughter, Danielle; a son in-law, Greg Wellnitz; a brother, Robert Collins; two sisters, Sandra Johnson and Emma Switz; and a brother in-law, Robert Downing.
Funeral services will be at 12:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 27, at Grace Community Church in Ontario, with Pastor Bruce Milleman officiating. Burial and military honors will follow in Hilltop Rest Cemetery in Ontario. A visitation for family and friends will be from 2–5 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 26, at Schneider Funeral Home & Crematory in Janesville, with a prayer service starting at 5 p.m. The visitation will continue on Monday at the church from 11 a.m. until time of service. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Wisconsin Kidney Foundation, Grace Community Church, or to the Ontario American Legion. For an obituary and online registry, please visit www.schneiderfuneraldirectors.com.
