John D. (Jack) Collins, age 78, devoted and beloved father, grandfather, brother and uncle passed away in Naples, Fl. on May 10.
John Collins
A former longtime resident of New Canaan and a 16 year resident of Naples, Jack was born on Aug 31, 1938 in Syracuse, N.Y. to the late Bill and Kate Collins.
He was the second child in a family of 15 children. He was a graduate of Le Moyne College where he received a bachelor of business arts degree in 1960 and pursued a career in accounting.
Jack spent 38 years with international accounting firm KPMG, LLC. He started in Rochester, N.Y., and then moved to the New York Executive Office of Professional Practice. A few years later he became the first partner in charge of the Continental European Office of Professional Practice headquartered in Paris from 1971-1978.
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— an obituary from Hoyt Funeral Home
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In addition to supervising the audit practices of all the European offices, he also personally handled the audits of several companies with extensive and complex operations in Europe.
Jack returned to New York City and assumed responsibility as senior audit partner of the New York office from 1978 to 1999 and had principal client responsibilities for such companies as General Electric, Credit Suisse First Boston, Citigroup, Travelers and PepsiCo.
He has served as a United States representative on the International Auditing Procedures Committee, a committee of international accountants responsible for establishing international auditing standards.
He has served on the board of directors for several companies including Montpelier Re, Columbia Atlantic Funds and Mrs. Fields Original Cookies, Inc. Most recently, he served as a director and chairman of the Audit Committee of Suburban Propane.
An avid golfer, Jack was a member of Woodway Country Club in Darien where he served as president from 1989 to 1991. During his tenure he oversaw the design and construction of a new club house at Woodway Beach Club on Long Island Sound.
He was also a member of Wyndemere Country Club in Naples. He became a member of the Musketeers golf group in 2003, serving as its treasurer and on the Executive Committee from 2010 to 2015. When he wasn’t golfing, he enjoyed bike riding and skiing which he combined with his love of travel exploring many different countries across Europe and Asia.
He is survived by his loving children Sharon Sill and her husband Tom of New Canaan; Kathy Peterson and her husband Chris of Greenwich; Dennis Collins and his wife Alison of Scottsdale, Ariz. and his grandchildren, Ryan and Kaitlyn Sill and John Patrick (JP) and Emerson Collins; and longtime companion, Marilyn W. Smith of Naples. Also surviving are 13 brothers and sisters.
Jack was predeceased by his wife of 40 years, Barbara Gardiner Collins, and sister, Carol Collins Solan.
Friends may call from 5 to 8 p.m., Wednesday, May 17 at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main Street, New Canaan.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, May 18 at St Aloysius Church in New Canaan. A funeral procession and interment will follow at Lakeview Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made in Jack’s memory to Operation Smile, 3641 Faculty Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23453. For online condolences and directions please visit www.hoytfuneralhome.com