Paul Collins

PAUL J. COLLINS

Iowa City

Paul J. Collins, 79, of Iowa City, died Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 25, 2017, surrounded by his family at his home following a battle with cancer.

Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, at the Newman Catholic Student Center, Iowa City, with Father Ed Fitzpatrick officiating. A luncheon will follow. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Lensing Funeral & Cremation Service, 605 Kirkwood Ave., Iowa City. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Table to Table, the Catholic Worker House, Pathways Adult Daycare Center and the University of Iowa Foundation Paul and Grace Collins Memorial Nursing Scholarship.

Paul James Collins was born June 26, 1937, in Lawler, Iowa, the son of John and Charlotte (Burke) Collins. He was raised and educated in Osage, Parkersburg and Iowa City. He graduated from Iowa City High School and proceeded to serve in the U.S. Navy. Following naval duty in the Pacific Rim, he attended St. Ambrose University for undergrad studies and completed his D.D.S. at the University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1966.

He was united in marriage to Grace Mary Buchheit on June 9, 1962, in Dubuque. The couple made their home in Iowa City until 1966 and then moved to Davenport. They returned to their beloved Iowa City when Paul joined the faculty as a member of the Department of Periodontics. While serving as a faculty member, he pursued advanced studies in periodontics and served on, as well as chaired, the college's admissions committee for many years. He was an educator and practitioner who thoroughly enjoyed teaching and mentoring generations of University of Iowa dental students. The work of Paul and his dedicated colleagues at the U of I College of Dentistry was a source of pride and joy until his retirement in 2002. His wife, Grace, passed away in 2003.

Paul and family cherished annual vacations to Rocky Mountain National Park, as well as the many hiking adventures that came with them. In 2004, Paul married Nancy Buchheit. Paul served as a docent at the UI Museum of Art after retirement and volunteered as a Table to Table driver for 10 years. Sandwiched in between Hawkeye sporting events and Hancher shows with grandchildren, Paul and Nancy enjoyed traveling across the U.S. and Europe.

Paul was a member of the Catholic church and attended the Newman Center, St. Mary's, St. Wenceslaus and St. Patrick's parish.

Paul is survived by his wife, Nancy; his daughter, Therese Collins; three sons and their wives, Thad Collins and his wife, Jeannie, Kevin Collins and his wife, Amy, all of Coralville, and Chris Collins and his wife, Tracy, of Nashville, Tenn.; seven grandchildren, Emily, Ryan, Rachel, Catherine, Nicholas, Abri and Isaiah; his sister-in-law, Fran (John) Collins; brother, William of South Bend, Ind.; sister, Jean Reed of Iowa City; and brother, Richard, and sister-in-law, Karen, of Davenport.

He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Charlotte; his wife, Grace; his siblings, John, Sheila and Mary Collins; and brother-in-law, Duane Buchheit.

Also mourning Paul are Nancy's sons, Dave and Scott Buchheit; Dave's wife, Jolene; and children, Bridget and Will.

Online condolences may be left for the family at www.lensingfuneral.com.