Scott Michael Collins

He grew up in Davenport, Iowa, and graduated from Davenport Central High School in 1981. In 1986 he earned his degree from the University of Northern Iowa, where he loved playing rugby.

Scott loved being at home, building and tinkering with his many projects. He could rig anything, he just needed Gorilla tape and a bit of time. He was always willing to lend a helping hand to his neighbors (and to fix everything his daughter broke!). He had a great love for animals and enjoyed playing basketball, boating with family and friends, and laughing at all the funny things his grandchildren did.

Scott began working at Whirlpool in 1992 and quickly became the go-to project engineer for all things electrical, fabrication, and welding. He was soon recruited to join Product Development in the Gladiator Group. Scott designed, tested, and launched several products for Gladiator GarageWorks. He traveled internationally to oversee the production start-up for his designs, following the process through to the point where the products were on the retail floor. Many of these products are still available today. Scott was very proud of the multiple patents issued in his name during his time with the Gladiator Group.

After assisting Whirlpool with manufacturing controls, Scott also worked with product engineering responsible for Gladiator product launches. He was one of the first to convince suppliers to use VFD (Variable Frequency Drive) technology rather than servo drive technology on machinery such as presses that cut length lines.

Following his time with the Gladiator Group, Scott moved into a Product Safety role, which may have been his true work passion. He was the Controls Lead for many automation projects at Whirlpool. Scott kept the plant up to date with the latest processing technologies, introducing innovations into both existing equipment and new processes.

At Alcoa/Kaiser Aluminum Warrick, Scott completed multiple capital projects that increased ingot plant production. He spent many late nights and early mornings working with fellow engineers to keep the plant running during unexpected breakdowns.

Colleagues could always count on Scott to get the job done. He liked to have fun, worked harder than most, and was always willing to take the right risks. Scott earned the highest level of respect in all aspects of his career. But most importantly, he made everyone smile every single day with his great stories and unwavering optimism, he was an all-around great guy.

Scott is survived by his wife of 38 years, Sharon Ruth (Jepsen) Collins; children Kara Collins, Michael Collins, and bonus daughter Brittany Cannon; grandchildren Jepsen Nance, Tullis Nance, Dempsey Nance; and bonus grandchildren Kaya Cannon, Paxton Cannon, Asher Cannon, and Weston Cannon; siblings John Collins and Susan (Collins) Anderson; and granddog Nala.

He was preceded in death by his sister, Kelly (Collins) Fahrenkrug, and his beloved pets, Chewy and Luna.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at Alexander Newburgh Chapel, 5333 State Road 261. A Celebration of Life Service will follow the visitation at 4:00 p.m.

Condolences may be made online at www.AlexanderNewburghChapel.com