Roger Jay Collins

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — It is with great sadness that the family of Roger Jay Collins announces his passing Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2020, at the age of 80. He lost his battle with dementia after putting up a valiant fight in true “Roger style.”
Roger will be lovingly remembered by his wife of 21 years, Saundra “Sweetie” Collins; her children, Danielle (Mark) Posey, DJ (Cindy) Richards; a brother, Vaughn (Betty Joyce) Collins; children from his first marriage to Florence (Risser) Collins: Kristy (Jerry Schone) Kinley, Kevin (Bobbi), Kara (Scott) Newell and Kelby (Kim Chatlain); 13 grandchildren; and 4.5 great-grandchildren.
Roger was preceded in death by his parents, Carew and Nora (Owens) Collins; a brother, Ronal (Rita); infant daughters, Katrina and Kelly; and his cherished fur-baby Kiwi. Roger also will be forever remembered by his nieces, nephews, extended family and dear friends.
Roger was born Sept. 4, 1939, in Hardin County. His first passion was for farming, which he did for a number of years in Wyandot County. He then became a paint technician for PPG Industries, which led him to Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
He retired in 2005 and enjoyed landscaping, golf, Ohio State and Cleveland Browns football, and numerous trips back to Wyandot County, to his family farm that he had enrolled in a government funded conservation program.
A celebration of Roger’s life is Saturday at Murfreesboro Funeral Home, 145 Innsbrooke Bldvd., Murfreesboro, TN, 37128. Visitation is 4-6 p.m. Saturday with the funeral service immediately following and officiated by Bob Bush of World Outreach Church.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at the Rutherford Memory Care and Avalon Hospice who lovingly cared for Roger. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to either of these organizations.