Robert Darold Collins

October 12, 1947 – September 6, 2024

His was a life well lived, loved by many, important to more. Born in Springfield, Oregon, to Warren Dudley Collins and Claudeen Ruby Collins (nee Kelly), Bob moved to Sacramento at the age of 10. He was educated in Sacramento schools before earning a degree in Political Science at California State University, Sacramento. After graduating from McGeorge School of Law, Bob spent his most important and formative years (his words) in the United States Marine Corps as a lawyer, a judge and briefly as a captain in the jungles of Vietnam.

Bob’s life was one of service. He was an Eagle Scout, which launched him, with his father, into working with Civil Air Patrol where they searched for lost aircraft and recovered pilot remains. He was active in Active 20-30 and with Kent Baker, was instrumental in setting up and running the Golden West Track Meet.

Bob was introduced to the West Sacramento Rotary Club by his father-in-law at that time, Norman Lawlor. He held and served in every board seat capacity during his tenure in the Club, serving as President in 1997-98 and was bulletin editor twice. Along with Jim Engstrom, Bob drafted the documents of formation for the West Sacramento Rotary Foundation and re-wrote the by-laws of the Club in the 90’s. He was a Paul Harris fellow several times over and made sure his wife and fellow Rotarian, Luan Christ, was, too. Theirs was a Rotary romance. They met in the Club and were married at the Ryde Hotel in 1997 by then District Governor, Tommy Neumann; Dick Marshall sang at their wedding. Bob and Luan spent 31 extraordinary years together, 27 of them married, all of them happy. Self-described “sidekicks”, they did everything together, loved doing that, and were still dancing in the kitchen when the right song came on.

In 2006, Bob and Luan headed south to the tip of Baja and started a life adventure in the little town of Los Barriles, BCS. Los Barriles was definitely Bob’s spot. He was never happier, never more engaged, never more creative than he was there.

Bob is survived by his wife, Luan Christ; his daughter, Brooke Kozak and her daughter, Lena Kozak; his son, Brad Collins, Brad’s wife, Daina Collins, and their daughter, Ellery Collins; his stepson, Gray Estrada, Gray’s wife, Bonita Estrada, and their daughter, Teal Estrada.

Bob’s interests over the years included SCUBA (cave diving), skiing, racquetball, rock climbing, hiking, fly fishing, wine tasting, tai chi, and woodworking, woodworking, woodworking. He could repair just about anything and in Mexico, mastered intricate electrical schematics along with complicated drip irrigation, but never quite made the grade watching the night skies with his telescope. Those efforts often ended with a shot of tequila and longing looks at the moon over the Sea of Cortez. Bob was an engaged, accomplished attorney, still practicing law as late as the morning of the first day he entered Sutter Hospital.

A Celebration of Life for Bob will be held on October 10, 2024 at Miner’s Leap Winery, 54250 South River Road, Clarksburg, CA 95612, 10:30-2:30. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the West Sacramento Rotary Foundation.

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