Dale Lee Collins, 81, passed away on June 14, 2026, at Evergreen Hospice House. Dale was born in Lamar, Colorado, on Feb. 13, 1945, to David I. Collins and Gertrude Hull Collins.
Dale is survived by his wife of 62 years, Mary Jo; daughters, Lisa Stumph (Mike) and Michele Collins (Dave); granddaughter, Jordan Crane; four sisters and one brother; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Dale was predeceased by his parents, four brothers and one sister.
Dale moved with his family to Albany, Oregon, in June 1954. Dale, Mary Jo and their daughters moved to Philomath in 1972.
He enjoyed gardening, hunting, fishing, golf and volunteering.
He was a Farmers Insurance agent for 40 years, winning many service awards. He was a member of the Philomath Lions Club; recipient of the Melvin Jones Award (Lions Club); Philomath Area Chamber of Commerce president; Philomath City Council and mayor of Philomath; honorary mayor of the Philomath Youth Activities Club Safety Town; First Citizen and Senior First Citizen; volunteer fireman; lifetime member of Oregon Hunters Association; member of Philomath Downtown Association; Master Gardener; and Philomath Park Advisory Board member.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dale’s memory to Samaritan Evergreen Hospice House. We want to thank Evergreen Hospice for their support and care of Dale.
Honoring Dale’s request, no services will be held.
Dale Collins embodied the City of Volunteers, a tagline given to Philomath that I imagine he had something to do with. He served as mayor and on various committees as noted above, and he was also an active Lions Club member, a loyal friend and a constant force for good in our community. Among his many contributions, I attribute the success of the Music in the Park Summer Concert Series and Downtown Flower Basket Program to his legacy. I will always remember his witty sense of humor, the way his face lit up when he talked about MaryJo and daughters, and the twinkle in his eye when he thought he’d pulled one over on me. We lost a great man, a true Philomath Warrior this week, and I will miss my friend.
Dale Collins will be missed dearly! Always welcoming with a hug or a twinkling smile. A pillar of our wonderful Philomath community.