Obituary Posted: 3/17/04
Warren Charles Collis was born Oct. 24, 1910 to John and Henrietta Collis in Hudson, Wisconsin. The family then moved to Burkhardt soon after, where they lived on a farm, working for a farmer. Warren and his sister, Irene, attended several country schools and then moved to Eau Galley Township in the thirties.
Two brothers, John and George, and three sisters, Mildred, Florence and Shirley, had joined the family, all knowing what it meant to work for a living. In the late thirties, the family moved to a farm north of Baldwin, Wisc. They had many cousins near to them to help pass the years. They had many house parties and gatherings and enjoyed their time together.
Warren finished eleven years of school and then went on to work on a farm near Mountain Lake, Minn. In 1942, he began writing to a girl from Michigan, who had been born in Two Harbors, Minn. After a year of writing letters, Warren came to see her, and in May of 1943, Warren and Catherine were married. The two of them moved to New Richmond, Wisc. where Warren began his job at the Strand Ski Factory.
Warren and Kay started their family of Rick, Bob and Jamie. In November of 1945, Warren was called to serve in the Army and spent his time in South Korea. When he returned in 1946, they moved to North St. Paul where Warren started his work at Taystee Bakery. While they lived in North Saint Paul, Danny, Kathy, Loren, Kevin and Laurie joined the family. In 1962, the family moved to Stillwater where they bought an
80 acre farm and lived there until 1974. Darren was the final addition to the family in 1964.
The family moved to a 40 acre farm in Harris, Minn., which is where they reside to this day. Warren retired in 1983 at the age of 62. This gave Warren more time to socialize and help his friends and neighbors. He worked odd jobs in his retirement and was known as the ěhandymanî for a lot of senior citizens. Warren was a deacon at the Sunrise Bible Church and was always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone in need. Warren also sold Watkins products for several years, which also gave him a reason to spend more time socializing.
Warren and Kay celebrated their 50th anniversary in 1994. In August of 1994, Warren suffered a stroke that affected his right side. He walked with a walker until his second stroke completely incapacitated him. Warren was slowed by the strokes, but he never lost his smile, sense of humor and his love for the Lord. He lived for six more years before the Lord called him home on March 11, 2004.
He was proceeded in death by his parents and his oldest son Richard. He is survived by his wife Catherine, his sons Bob, Jamie, Dwayne, Loren, Kevin and Darren and two daughters, Kathy and Laurie, twenty grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial preferred.
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