Marnie Ralph Collins Jr.

Marnie Ralph Collins Jr., of Jacksonville, FL, passed away peacefully at the age of 73 on January 6, 2024. He was born to parents M. Ralph and Candis Collins on January 10, 1950, in Fort Dix, NJ. Marnie was a proud member of the US Army from 1969-1971, serving as a decorated radio operator in the Vietnam War. On his return stateside, Marnie joined the construction industry as a carpenter; his dedicated career included nearly 30 years’ experience in industrial construction engineering administration with Acousti Engineering before his 2012 retirement.

Throughout his life, Marnie was an avid skydiver, a longtime member of the US Parachute Association and a regular performer at regional air shows. He was a gifted skeet shooter, regularly winning prizes in advanced-class, sporting clay series. And for many decades, Marnie bought, restored and showed his collection of signature red Chevy pickup trucks, earning countless trophies, ribbons and prizes for his labors-of-love at hot rod, pickup and auto shows both local and nationwide.

Marnie leaves behind his children Tracy Collins (Michael) Ortlieb of Evanston, IL; Lisa Collins, of Atlantic Beach, FL; Jeffry Collins of Atlantic Beach, FL; and Troy Robson of Oklahoma City, OK. He is also survived by his grandchildren Joshua Howard, of Atlantic Beach, FL; Eliot Collins Ortlieb (18) and Silvan Collins Ortlieb (16) of Evanston, IL; sister Gail Collins (Jeannie) Harrell of St. Mary’s, GA; brother Michael Collins of Phoenix, AZ; sister-in-law Laura Collins of Jacksonville; former spouse Lorraine Cox of Atlantic Beach, FL; nephews Jon Sutton and TJ Sutton of Jacksonville and Timothy Oberlander of St. Mary’s, GA; and nieces Jessica Carvalho of Kingsland, GA, and Kristy Oberlander of Jacksonville. He was preceded in death by his father, M. Ralph Collins Sr., mother Candis Fussell, brothers Chris Collins and Richard Collins.

A graveside service for Marnie will be held Saturday, January 13, 2024 at 3:00 PM at Riverside Memorial Park, 7242 Normandy Blvd, Jacksonville, FL 32205.