Geoffrey Collins

Peacefully, at Heatherwood Retirement Residence in St. Catharines on Saturday, October 24th, 2026, Geoffrey Collins passed away at the age of 83. Geoffrey has now been reunited with his 'fair lady', his beloved wife Irene, who predeceased him this past March.

He was the loving father of Pamela (Paul), Megan (Joel), Wayne, and Ivan (Patricia). Proud and devoted grandfather to Daniel, Clara (Lewis), Rachel, Veronica, Nadine, Morgan, Matthew, Simon, and Molly. Geoff held a special place in his heart for Samantha. Geoff is survived by his sister Brenda Thomasson and sisters-in-law Tracy Collins and Winifred Massey. He was predeceased by his parents Harry (1981) and Ruth (1998), sister Beryl (2003), and brother Leslie (2019).

Geoff was born in Stockport, England on June 26, 1943, the eldest of four children raised in Portwood. From the moment he became a big brother, he naturally stepped into a leadership role that would define the rest of his life. As Head Boy at Dialstone Lane School, his report cards described him as reliable, dependable, trustworthy, and a man of his word—qualities that never wavered. A gifted athlete, Geoff served as Captain of both his school cricket team and the Stockport County Boys Football Club.

Geoff’s legendary work ethic shone brightly early on. Beating out nearly 300 applicants for one of only ten apprenticeships at Mirrlees, he worked 54 hours a week, served as a volunteer firefighter, attended night school three times a week, and continued soccer training two nights a week—eventually being scouted for semi-professional soccer. He completed his formal education at Stockport College, graduating as a Mechanical Engineer. This relentless schedule inevitably took a toll on his health. It was during a six-week stay at Stepping Hill Hospital for a burst ulcer at age 17 that he met a student nurse named Irene. Resourceful in their early days, their dates together often meant catching a free film at the cinema or watching a soccer match before buzzing around town in his MGB. Because his mother would not permit him to wed any sooner, Geoff and Irene were married the day after his 21st birthday.

Seeking new horizons after the birth of their eldest daughter, Geoff accepted a job in Montréal, Quebec. He arrived in Canada amidst a roaring snowstorm with just three suitcases, $300, and no knowledge of the French language. Money was tight as they welcomed four children in just six years, but Geoff and Irene found a rich community. They joined the Kinsmen and Cub Scouts, and friends became family. It was during family camping trips that Geoff taught himself to play the guitar, leading campfire singalongs to Froggy went a Courtin’ and Greensleeves, and captivating his children with his famous version of the "Wide Mouth Frog" story.

Professionally, Geoff was a true visionary. Two years after arriving in Canada, he joined Ampower Corporation, focusing on specialized equipment for large-scale maritime projects. Entrusted with a struggling company, Geoff used his trademark grit and "elbow grease" to turn the business around, eventually buying the company and relocating to St. Catharines—the proud home of the Port Weller DryDocks. He was elected a member of the Canadian Institute of Marine Engineers in 1976.

In 1984, Geoff developed a revolutionary worldwide patent for an Air Bubbler System, used on Icebreaking ships. Recognizing that conventional water washing was unfeasible in Arctic ice, he pioneered a system using compressed air. By releasing air deep beneath the hull, the rising, expanding bubbles burst upon reaching the surface, creating an air-water mixture that lubricated the hull and dramatically reduced friction. This iconic Air Bubbler System was installed on the CCGS Louis St. Laurent and the USCGC Polar Sea, enabling them to become the first North American surface vessels to reach the North Pole in 1994, alongside installations on the MV Arctic, CCGS Terry Fox, and countless others around the world. When his patent expired in 2004, these exact principles evolved into the Air Lubrication Systems (carpet of bubbles) installed on virtually every modern cruise ship today.

After a final, exhausting year of career travel spanning 300 days, Geoff declared "enough is enough" and retired at the young age of 43 to begin a vibrant second chapter. He bought a hobby farm in Effingham, where he trained and raced horses. He later moved to Collingwood, learning to ski at age 50, taking up tennis, serving as a Director of the Craigleith Ski Club for four years, and sailing the East and West coasts of North America. Always eager to give back to the business community, he also served with the Collingwood Economic Development Corp. as a business mentor for entrepreneurs, guiding the next generation with his hard-earned wisdom. He and Irene traveled the world, celebrating their 25th anniversary with an around-the-world trip. For over 30 years, Aruba became their cherished home away from home at the Costa Linda resort, while summers were spent closer to home at Faun Lake, parking their trailer right beside Pam and Paul’s.

Geoff was a master craftsman who could build anything. His workshop always carried the sweet smell of sawdust, yielding a beautiful dining room set when they first immigrated, exquisite jewelry boxes, "pouting chairs" for the grandchildren, a terrarium, and a tiny backyard play cottage crafted from heartwood redwood that hosted countless grandchild tea parties and afternoon naps.

As a grandfather, he was legendary. He was famous for his "350s," homemade gravlax, cooking Christmas turkeys on the barbecue, teaching the kids to swim and ride bikes, playing the "Money Game," and making surprise visits. He was the ultimate audience for piano practices, recitals, and soccer games, and was renowned for his signature dance floor style—which was enthusiastically just "one single move." Even while living in Craigleith, Geoff and Irene remained closely connected to family. They lent their hands and hearts to building the Country Basket Garden Centre in Niagara, where Geoff's incredibly detailed scale drawings were instrumental in erecting the structure that stands today. They returned permanently to Niagara in 2005, and throughout their lives, maintained deep ties to the UK, regularly returning for family vacations with their grandchildren.

Geoff lived his life by the Stoic philosophy that helping others is a fundamental requirement for a life well-lived. He was a constant pillar of support for his children, established education funds for all nine of his grandchildren, and recently provided them with seed money to chase their dreams.

The family extends their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Jayawardene ("Dr. J") and the incredibly compassionate staff and friends at Heatherwood Retirement Residence for their unwavering care, especially following the loss of Irene this past March.

Cremation has taken place. A Celebration of Life will follow at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Niagara Health Foundation in support of the South Niagara Hospital Project.