In Loving Memory of Eric Collins Sr.

June 8, 1959 – January 1, 2025

It is with great sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Eric Collins Sr., aged 65, of Columbia, Missouri, on January 1, 2025.

Born on June 8, 1959, in Columbia, Missouri, Eric was the son of the late Homer Collins Sr. and Mary Katharine Collins Finch. He grew up in Columbia, where he attended Rock Bridge High School and later the University of Missouri. In 1977, Eric answered the call to serve his country and enlisted in the U.S. Army. He served proudly as a certified marksman in Pusan, Korea (now known as Busan, Korea), where he earned the Private First Class (PFC) rank.

Eric deeply loved his family and enjoyed spending quality time with them. His favorite pastimes included spending time with his loved ones, watching sports, and painting. He was known for giving the shirt off his back to someone in need.

Eric is survived by his mother, Mary Katharine Finch; his brothers, Homer Collins and Kevin Collins; his late sister, Kathy Adams; his sister, Ariana Bush; his ex-wife, Ralphena Collins; children, Erica Collins Johnson, Jonathan Barnes, Erinn Collins Hamilton, Eric Collins II, and Latrice Thornton; grandchildren, London Johnson, Walker Johnson, McKenzie Barnes, Genesis Scolaro, Kennedy Hamilton, Jorden Nobles, Sha'Miyah Nobles, and Trinity Nobles; as well as his beloved nephews, nieces, and cousins.

A funeral service will be held on January 23, 2025, at 11:00 AM at Parker-Millard Funeral Service & Crematory in Columbia, Missouri. 

Visitation will be held at the same location from 10:00 AM to 11:00 AM, just before the service.

In place of flowers, contributions may be made to a charity of choice in Eric’s honor.

We will carry Eric's memory in our hearts forever.

"To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven." — Ecclesiastes 3:1

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