George Collier

George Robert Collier, 92, of Jackson passed away Friday, July 3, 2015, at Jackson Manor.

He was born Jan. 15, 1923, in Albie, Kentucky, son of William and Gladys Sturgeon Collier. He and Mary Jane Hodge were married Jan. 1, 1966, in Du Quoin, Illinois. She passed away May 17, 2012.

George joined the Peace Corps at an early age. He was in the U.S. Army from January 1943 to October 1945, when he was honorably discharged. He served 18 months in European Theater of Operation.

In 1970, they moved from Piedmont, Missouri, to Oak Ridge and became an active part of Oak Ridge First Baptist Church. Locally he worked as a licensed electrician for the Drury Co. and Marquette Cement Plant. George was a member of IBEW of St. Louis for 61 years.

He retired in 1985, and he and Mary Jane enjoyed traveling in their Fifth Wheeler. He liked to go hunting and fishing with "Sam," his Brittany bird dog.

He wanted to see what was "Over the Next Hill."

Loving survivors include two daughters, Carol Ann (Danny) Marshall of Knoxville, Tennessee, and Norma (Robert) Habeck of Oak Ridge; a son, Norman (Paulette) Keene of Pinckneyville, Illinois; eight grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great-grandchildren; one brother, Randol (June) Collier of St. Louis; two sisters, Edith Dodd of Jackson and Elvie Hulme of Georgia.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Mary, one brother and one sister.

Friends may call from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday at McCombs Funeral Home and Cremation Center in Jackson.

The funeral service will be 11 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Rev. Bob Thompson officiating. Interment will be in Goshen Cemetery near Oak Ridge, with full military honors.

Memorials may be made to Goshen Cemetery.

Sympathy messages may be sent to the family online at mccombsfuneralhome.com.