Bobby Wayne Collier, age 66, of Muscle Shoals, died Monday, December 9, 2013. Visitation for family and friends will be Thursday 6-8 p.m. at Morrison Funeral Home of Tuscumbia. His funeral service will be Friday at 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel with Tim Spivy officiating. Burial will follow in Providence Cemetery.
Bobby was a Lawrence County native and attended East Colbert Church of Christ. He was an Electrician and General Foreman at Redstone Arsenal, a member of IBEW 558, Masonic Lodge and the American Bowling Congress. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harvey and Mattie Scoggins Collier and his brother, Johnny Odee Collier.
Bobby was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather and brother. Growing up Bobby was the youngest of three brothers and big brother to his sister. He was a standout basketball player for Hatton High School, earning State honors. After high school, Bobby Served in the Army National Guard, achieving the honor of Sharp Shooter. That’s also when he met the love of his life, Judy. After marrying and having their first of two wonderful children, Denise, Bobby started coaching. This is where he would go on to touch so many young men’s lives. As a coach, Bobby taught his players that a strong work ethic, attention to details, and playing smart was the key to success. Win or lose though he expected his players to do it with class. In life, much as in coaching, Bobby’s calling was to help others succeed. He had a unique gift of not only being an exceptional teacher, but instinctively knowing when to encourage, when to push and at times, when to discipline. Very often this lead to his teams not only winning, but dominating, on the field and also later on in life. Bobby took this same approach to his career. He welcomed every opportunity to teach anyone willing to learn, usually leaving that person feeling they had been taken under his wing with a desire to never disappoint him. Seeing people he loved and respected go on to be successful were the rewards he enjoyed most. After coaching and mentoring his son, Byron, to an award filled run in baseball, he welcomed his most prized possessions, his grandchildren. Now known affectionately as Poppa, he continued to mentor his grandsons, Josh and Dylan, as well as spoil them. He passed on his love of competition and sports by frequently taking his friends and family to any sporting event they wanted to attend. As life began to afford him more time and opportunities, he and Rick Jones became fixtures at several stadiums, ball fields and race tracks across the country. Before leaving this world, Bobby welcomed his first grand daughter, Gabriella Louise Collier and only days before his death, his first great grandbaby, Ella Jade Stidham. Dad had a genuine love of life, always a smile on his face and never met a stranger. He was an inspiration to all who knew him. This world lost a great man, but heaven gained a great Poppa.
Survivors include his wife, Judy Agee Collier of Muscle Shoals; son, Byron Wayne Collier (Jacki), of Indianapolis; daughter, Denise Collier Austin of Muscle Shoals; brother, Jimmy Collier of Muscle Shoals; sister, Peggy Farley, also of Muscle Shoals; grandchildren, Josh and Dylan Stidham, Gabriella Collier and great grandchild, Ella Stidham.
Pallbearers are Josh Stidham, Dylan Stidham, Rick Jones, Roger Agee, Kevin Primm, Gene Keener, Ricky Lyell and Donnie Crouch.
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