Robert T. "Bert" Collier

Robert T. “Bert” Collier, 72, of Geneseo, formerly of Davenport, passed away on Thursday, May 24, 2018, at 3:39 p.m., at Illini Restorative Care in Silvis, Illinois. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 30, at St. Malachy Catholic Church in Geneseo. Father Pakula and Deacon Larry Honzel will celebrate. Burial will follow at Davenport Memorial Park Cemetery in the family plot, where he will join his parents, and brother, Walter. Visitation will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 29, at Vandemore Funeral Home & Crematory, Geneseo Chapel. The Rosary will be prayed at 4:30 p.m. Memorials may be directed to the Bert Collier Memorial Fund. Bert requests that casual attire be worn for all services.

Bert was born July 18, 1945, in Davenport, IA, one of four children born to Walter and Marie Nath Collier. He attended schools in Davenport and graduated in 1964. He furthered his education at Chicago City College and graduated in 1988. He was united in marriage to Joyce J. Grant on October 10, 1979, in Tulsa, OK. Bert began a career in healthcare at Mercy Hospital, Davenport, and St. Francis Hospital, Evanston for 26 years. He retired from Continuing Care Specialists in 1999. Bert belonged to St. Malachy Catholic Church. He could be found in the last pew of any church service he attended.

Bert was involved in many activities including Geneseo Senior Citizen Center, Geneseo Kitchen Band, Rebuilding Together, Hammond Henry Hospital Home Care Board of Advisors, Henry County Site Council, and the local chapter of AARP. He was a Vacation Bible School teacher, a leader of Girl Scout Troop 1730, and he went on medical mission trips to the Dominican Republic for more than five years. Bert enjoyed volunteering, attending theater productions, riding around town on his scooter, camping with Joyce, attending sporting events to watch his great-nieces and nephews, and spending time with his great-niece and nephew, Robert and Elizabeth Shore.

Those left to cherish his memories are Joyce, his wife of 38 years; brother, David (Nadine) Collier, South Bend, IN; sister, Shirley (Clifford) Shore, Rock Island; brothers-in-law, Ivan Grant, and Rodney Grant; sister-in-law Mary Jo Ward, all of Sallisaw, OK; and many nieces and nephews, several great-nieces and nephews and special great-niece and nephew,  Elizabeth Shore and Rob Shore. He leaves his beloved cat, Baby.

Bert was preceded in death by his parents, brother, Walter James Collier, his father and mother-in-law, Ivan and Grace Grant and sisters-in-law, JoAnn Collier, Ramona Townsend, and Sandy Wilson.