GEORGE COLLINS
GREENE – George Collins, 84 of Greene, died on Friday, January 3, 2013 at Norwich Rehabilitation and Nursing Center. He was predeceased by his parents, three brothers, and a sister. He is survived by brother John and sisters Anna Kingsbury and Eva Neal of Sherburne; former wife, Marie Collins and life partner, Ruth Kimber; sons William, Michael, and daughter, Christine; 5 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren. George was born June 13, 1929 and graduated from Sherburne Central School in 1946. As a teenager, he worked on a dairy farm, a potato farm, and for Revere Copper and Brass in Rome, NY. In 1948, he worked for GLF in Fort Plain driving a fuel truck. In 1949 he began work in a John Deere dealership, which moved to the Wilcox farm north of Greene. In 1958, George purchased the dealership and soon sold several other brands of farm equipment from a site in Brisben. At its height, Chenango Farm Supply had 3 stores with 17 employees. After the business closed in 1986, George drove for a trucking firm all over North America until his retirement in 2002. George was a member of the Episcopal Church. He served in the Brisben Volunteer Fire Dept. for many years. He was a member of several farm equipment dealer councils and associations and served as a director to the Chenango County Fair.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday at Zion Episcopal Church, Greene. Burial will be in the spring. Friends of the family may call Monday 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. at Root Funeral Home, 23 North Chenango Street, Greene, New York 13778. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Zion Episcopal Church and condolences may be sent to the family at www.rootfh.com.