John "Jack" Collins

John "Jack" Collins May 13, 1928 - March 14, 2011 John "Jack" Collins, age 82, of St. Augustine, passed away peacefully at Bailey Center for Caring on March 14, 2011. He had been a resident of the area since 1994, moving here from Pennsylvania. Jack first entered this world on May 13th 1928 in Newton in Makerfield, Lancaster, England, the sixth child of Daniel and Alice Collins. He grew up in Newton Le Willows, attending Catholic school and subsequently graduated in Mechanical Engineering from Salford Technical Institute. He found (what appeared to be) his first love - Rugby, playing for St. Helens playing many games over the years, including professional rugby. In 1951, after a few years working at The Vulcan Works (UK) building steam locomotives, he became associated with the sweet things in life - the confectionery and chocolate industry, joining Baker Perkins Ltd as Service Supervisor specializing in chocolate and confectionery machinery. After a visit to the states, he left Baker Perkins in 1960 to join Rowntree Mackintosh in Canada and shortly thereafter joined Hansella and subsequently moved to their offices in New Jersey. It was in New Jersey that he first met Jane (later to become his wife) who had emigrated from England and was then working in New York. Jack formed Collins Technical Ltd in 1974 representing a number of European Equipment manufacturers and became an acknowledged expert in the confectionery and chocolate industry. An active member of the National Confectioners Association, he was named Distinguished Associate in 1991 for his work as Chairman of the Industry Advisory Board and as a member of several technical committees. As a member of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners Association and the American Association of Candy Technologists, he served on numerous technical committees in all of these associations and for numerous years was a member of the Pennsylvania Manufacturing Confectioners Association Production Conference Committee. Jack was a frequent lecturer on technical subjects relating to the confectionery industry and a recipient of the American Association of Candy Technologists' Associate of the Year Award. Jack's work took him to confectionery and chocolate companies throughout the US, including Hawaii and to many countries such as Belgium, Germany, Italy, Mexico, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Venezuela, South Africa, China, South Korea and Guatemala. Jack, in conjunction with Richard, his brother-in-law, formed The Annapolis Chocolate Company in 1996 producing private label chocolate products - a company that continues to operate and grow under the management of Richard. He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jane Collins of St. Augustine, a son, Paul S. Collins of Portland, Oregon, a stepson, Peter S. Hebden of Coventry, U.K., and grandchildren, Morgan Collins and Bramwell Collins, both of Portland, Oregon. A visitation of family and friends to celebrate Jack's life will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 pm on Thursday, March 17, at St. Johns Family Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers donations in Jack's memory can be made to: American Cancer Society, 1430-B Prudential Drive Jacksonville, Florida 32207 or to Bailey Center for Caring, c/o Community Hospice of N.E. Florida, Jacksonville, FL. 32257. St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.