Robert Collins

Robert (Bob) Collins, age 84, passed away on Sunday, September 4, 2022, after a lengthy battle with blood cancer. Bob was born on December 16, 1937, in the Bronx, NY, to William Collins and Helen (Trainor) Collins. His family moved to California in 1941, and he enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1954. He served four years as a Combat Engineer, and deployed to Iwakuni, Japan.

He married Barbara (Nuttbrock) Collins on March 21, 1964 and spent more than a half-century making a life with her.

He earned a master’s degree in education from University of San Diego. He was a dedicated middle school teacher for 37 years, where he used his gifts for humor and storytelling to enthrall and educate students. His success as an educator is clear in the former students who continued to count him as a friend decades after they left his classroom.

Second only to his love of Barbara was his passion for fishing. Freshwater or saltwater, put a rod and reel in his hand, and all was right with the world. He became a figure of folklore among San Diego fishermen, where the legend of Otay Bob continues to grow.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son, Robert Collins; his daughter, Brenda (Collins) Edwards; his nephew, William Collins; his grandchildren, Megan Collins, Casey Collins, Timothy Collins, and Savannah (Edwards) Bautista; and his special friend, Kantaro Kusano.

Those whose lives were touched by Bob are invited to his memorial service at the Glenn Abbey Memorial Park Orchid Pavilion, 3838 Bonita Road, Bonita, CA, at 4:00p.m. on Sunday, September 11, 2022.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the San Diego Blood Bank.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.glenabbeysandiego.net for the Collins family.