Rob was such a vibrant presence, wherever he went. It was always interesting to talk with him, and you would come away educated and informed, without even trying. So abrupt a loss. Condolences to the family and those fortunate enough to call him friend.
Robert Von Collins

COLLINS
Robert Von Collins, 55, of Springfield, IL; born on August 1, 1965 in Carbondale, IL; passed away on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at home.
Robert was a teacher in Springfield and was fluent in many languages. Not only did he teach in the states, but he was an educator internationally. He travelled to China and other countries teaching students language and arts. He was a professional basketball player for several years and an official for IHSA sports.
He was preceded in death by his father – Claude Collins.
He is survived by his loving mother – Alice Berniece (Bardo) Collins of Springfield, IL. Daughter – Arlinda Collins of Springfield, IL. Sister – Marie (Willie) Hervery of Springfield, IL. Brother – Michael Collins of DuQuoin, IL.
Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.heilschuessler.com.
Friends may call at Heil-Schuessler & Sinn Funeral Home in Sparta, IL on Saturday, September 19, 2020 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Memorial Services will be held at Heil-Schuessler & Sinn Funeral Home in Sparta, IL on Saturday, September 19, 2020 at 1:00 p.m.
Heil-Schuessler & Sinn Funeral Home in Sparta, IL is in charge of arrangements
25 Comments
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Dawn Jacobs on 09/09/2020 at 3:50 pm
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mary davis on 09/09/2020 at 4:23 pm
I enjoyed working with Mr. Collins at Springfield High School. He will be greatly missed by students and faculty. My prayers and thought are with his family.
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Diane Hess on 09/09/2020 at 6:27 pm
Robert was an important part to our ESL team at Springfield High School. He worked hard for our students and families. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter,Arlinda, and the rest of his family. Robert will be missed.
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Felicia on 09/09/2020 at 7:17 pm
I grew up with Rob. We both went to Sparta High School in Southern Illinois. He was one of the kindest people I have ever met. He will be terribly missed.
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Tsuili Bowman on 09/09/2020 at 9:30 pm
We worked together more than five years. Everyday we set students’ chairs to eat our lunch to discuss everything including countries, families, students, books, even politicians and religious. You were very happy to talk everyday. I enjoyed everything you said.
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When we needed your help you always put down your work to help us.
You were a very nice gentleman. You will be very missed. -
Kris (Reid) Ball on 09/10/2020 at 4:44 am
I am absolutely devastated. We grew up together and studied together. He was the perfect friend, teammate, and the
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best person anyone could know. I’m sorry we lost touch but we did reconnect on FB. Prayers for his family, especially his beautiful daughter which I know he loved and treasured. -
Rabbi Barry Marks on 09/10/2020 at 10:36 am
Very sad to learn of Robert’s passing. He was very warm and genial and very knowledgeable and intelligent. He had such a wide range of talents. We are devastated to think of Arlinda at such a young age growing up without her Dad. They had such a strong and loving bond. Our hearts go out to her and to all the family.
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Floria McWherter Densmore on 09/10/2020 at 11:04 pm
I first met Rob in the second grade. From that day to now he always had a quiet confidence I admired. My sincere condolences to the Collins family. To my classmate (1983) rest easy in God’s arms. If a 1000 years on heaven is but one day here on earth then soon he’ll see loved one’s again. God grant peace to the entire family. God Bless!
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Lisa Hall on 09/11/2020 at 8:50 am
Stunned and deeply saddened to learn that Rob Von Collins has passed away. We met in high school and he was wise beyond his years with a deep and abiding love for the Lord. We attended church together and he helped with my chemistry homework. Many years have passed but I will always remember how patient, generous and kind he was.
May the good Lord comfort and strengthen his family through the days and years ahead. For even though we are mourning his absence on earth, “We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” 2 Corinthians 5:8. He was a good man. No wonder the Lord was ready to greet him face to face.
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Perry Brooks on 09/11/2020 at 4:46 pm
Prayers for you all, Rob and I go way back, since we were little kids playing in the neighborhood, he was my good Friend, Classmate and Teammate, we had many good laughs throughout the years,he was a Gentleman, a Class act,going to miss my Buddy, R.I.P. Rob,Gone,but Never Forgotten!😥
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Dina Doolen on 09/12/2020 at 7:16 am
I grew up with Rob in Sparta. He was a year ahead of me in school. I probably spent the most time with him playing basketball on the courts at the old Sparta-Lincoln playground near my house.
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He was kind, brilliant, a natural leader and a great athlete.
I offer my deepest condolenses to his family and loved ones. His loss leave a tremendous void. -
Matt Koger on 09/13/2020 at 10:33 am
My condolences go out to Robert’s family. I enjoyed talking to Robert weekly about a wide array of topics. He was incredibly intelligent and just a very down-to-earth type of person. He was a tremendous interpreter at SHS for many students and was always willing to help teachers. He will be missed!
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Tarik (Davis) Benson on 09/13/2020 at 6:02 pm
Rob this is ur little cousin Tarik.. it hurts knowing your no longer here… I keep going to your Facebook and seeing we still friends I be wanting to say HEY CUZZO but I can’t…. Miss u always cuzzo.. Say hi to Uncle Claude(ur dad) Ain’t Margaret my grandmama and the rest of our Penny/Collins family up there….. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 next year family reunion won’t be the same
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Linda Boston on 09/13/2020 at 9:33 pm
To the family of Robbie Collins. He was the most kind, caring, loving friend a person could ever have. Always smiling when he saw you. Robbie will be missed by all who knew and loved him. God bless your family. Continued prayers and sending lots of love for you all.
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Sincerely, Linda Boston
Quincy, IL -
Connie Perry on 09/14/2020 at 8:18 am
Our sincere condolences to Arlinda, Aunt Bernice, Marie, and Michael on the passing of our dear cousin Robbie. I have so many fond memories from childhood with him from my time I spent in Sparta when we visited and our visits at the reunions. Robbie is a big part of our family and he will be truly missed. We know he is with our Heavenly Father rejoicing. I find comfort in knowing that and that Robbie knew Jesus and loved sharing the WORD with others. We will continue to pray for peace and comfort for the entire Family especially his princess Arlinda. May our God keep you all.
Love, Cousin Connie & Eddie Perry and family
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Douglas and Yvonne Rose Turner on 09/15/2020 at 2:40 pm
Arlinda, we are shocked and we are so sorry that you lost your Dad. He is a wonderful man and a great Dad who loves you so much! We are praying for G-d to help you and be with you, and with your Grandma and all your Dad’s family. You can come to the Temple whenever you want to. We always love seeing you. We will miss your Dad a lot! He was fun to be around and was always making us smile!
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Rita Salemme on 09/15/2020 at 3:58 pm
There are no words I’m able to express at such a loss. Robert was an amazing person at everything, this community has lost a tremendous attribute. The void Robert has left certainly is felt the most by his family, however, it is also felt by everyone whom he has known!
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May the G-d if peace be with you at this time. -
Mary Saunders on 09/15/2020 at 9:17 pm
Arlinda, I am a member of Temple Israel and my kids are away at school. If you need a place to stay or hang out, my house and free time are open to you! Please let me know if I can help you.
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Runges on 09/16/2020 at 9:39 am
Rob was a wonderful young man! We are glad to be able to call him friend. Our condolences to his family.
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Gina on 09/16/2020 at 5:02 pm
Arlinda, this is gina from Temple…Im at a loss for words..I cant believe your dad is no longer here…I hope you will still visit us at Temple when you can..We are praying for you and your family.
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Stacey Caldwell Gibson on 09/17/2020 at 4:04 am
My deepest condolences for Arlinda, Bernice, Marie and Michael. I have lots of fond memories of Robbie. We weren’t just family, we were friends and classmates. Robbie was intelligent, athletic and an all around great guy! He will be missed, but never forgotten! R.I.H. Cuz!❤️
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Scott Brant on 09/18/2020 at 9:52 pm
This was a real shocker ,I still can’t believe it. Rob and I grew up together playing baseball and basketball all through grade and high school .He even gave the blessing at my wedding .Rob was one of a kind , always had a great attitude to everything in life .Rob will truly be missed . R.i.P
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Irena Sorrells on 09/19/2020 at 12:13 am
Still cannot believe that this is the truth. Last two weeks we were messaging zillion times per day – all about the start of remote learning and our kids that needed your help. Then – a quiet weekend and…the shocking news.
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I was so lucky to work with you at Springfield High. Your phenomenal memory and intelligence always admired me. You could work with so many English Learners – I lost the count of the languages that you were fluent at.
Condolences to your daughter, Arlinda, and the family. You will be missed. You will be remembered. -
Sam Cahnman on 09/19/2020 at 1:30 am
Very sad and shocked to hear the very unfortunate news. Robert & Arlinda had the strongest father-daughter bond I have ever seen. Robert was my neighbor, friend, constituent and co-religionist at Temple Israel. I also was his informal legal advisor. He was one the friendliest & warmest people. I always felt good when I was around Robert.
Saturday is the Jewish New Year. If this was a normal non-COVID year, and Robert was still with us, I would be seeing Robert & Arlinda at Temple Israel Saturday. I will try to make it to Sparta Saturday to pay my personal condolences to Arlinda and the rest of Robert’s family.
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Jim and Marcia Rees on 09/23/2020 at 9:23 pm
I was teaching at Tilden Attendance Center when I first saw Rob play basketball as a Jr. Hi player. Later we met at church functions at Sparta Church of the Nazarene and then at Tilden Family Camp. He was a Christian gentleman with wit and charm and so gifted in many ways.When he went to Kansas City to study, I gave him some devotional books that I felt he would benefit having. Condolences to the family that will miss him greatly. I feel blessed to have met him. Marcia and I held him in high esteem. To leave us so early is our loss but heaven’s gain. He made life better for all that he met.
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I was teaching at Tilden Attendance Center when I first saw Rob play basketball as a Jr. Hi player. Later we met at church functions at Sparta Church of the Nazarene and then at Tilden Family Camp. He was a Christian gentleman with wit and charm and so gifted in many ways.When he went to Kansas City to study, I gave him some devotional books that I felt he would benefit having. Condolences to the family that will miss him greatly. I feel blessed to have met him. Marcia and I held him in high esteem. To leave us so early is our loss but heaven’s gain. He made life better for all that he met.
Very sad and shocked to hear the very unfortunate news. Robert & Arlinda had the strongest father-daughter bond I have ever seen. Robert was my neighbor, friend, constituent and co-religionist at Temple Israel. I also was his informal legal advisor. He was one the friendliest & warmest people. I always felt good when I was around Robert.
Saturday is the Jewish New Year. If this was a normal non-COVID year, and Robert was still with us, I would be seeing Robert & Arlinda at Temple Israel Saturday. I will try to make it to Sparta Saturday to pay my personal condolences to Arlinda and the rest of Robert’s family.
Still cannot believe that this is the truth. Last two weeks we were messaging zillion times per day – all about the start of remote learning and our kids that needed your help. Then – a quiet weekend and…the shocking news.
I was so lucky to work with you at Springfield High. Your phenomenal memory and intelligence always admired me. You could work with so many English Learners – I lost the count of the languages that you were fluent at.
Condolences to your daughter, Arlinda, and the family. You will be missed. You will be remembered.
This was a real shocker ,I still can’t believe it. Rob and I grew up together playing baseball and basketball all through grade and high school .He even gave the blessing at my wedding .Rob was one of a kind , always had a great attitude to everything in life .Rob will truly be missed . R.i.P
My deepest condolences for Arlinda, Bernice, Marie and Michael. I have lots of fond memories of Robbie. We weren’t just family, we were friends and classmates. Robbie was intelligent, athletic and an all around great guy! He will be missed, but never forgotten! R.I.H. Cuz!❤️
Arlinda, this is gina from Temple…Im at a loss for words..I cant believe your dad is no longer here…I hope you will still visit us at Temple when you can..We are praying for you and your family.
Rob was a wonderful young man! We are glad to be able to call him friend. Our condolences to his family.
Arlinda, I am a member of Temple Israel and my kids are away at school. If you need a place to stay or hang out, my house and free time are open to you! Please let me know if I can help you.
There are no words I’m able to express at such a loss. Robert was an amazing person at everything, this community has lost a tremendous attribute. The void Robert has left certainly is felt the most by his family, however, it is also felt by everyone whom he has known!
May the G-d if peace be with you at this time.
Arlinda, we are shocked and we are so sorry that you lost your Dad. He is a wonderful man and a great Dad who loves you so much! We are praying for G-d to help you and be with you, and with your Grandma and all your Dad’s family. You can come to the Temple whenever you want to. We always love seeing you. We will miss your Dad a lot! He was fun to be around and was always making us smile!
Our sincere condolences to Arlinda, Aunt Bernice, Marie, and Michael on the passing of our dear cousin Robbie. I have so many fond memories from childhood with him from my time I spent in Sparta when we visited and our visits at the reunions. Robbie is a big part of our family and he will be truly missed. We know he is with our Heavenly Father rejoicing. I find comfort in knowing that and that Robbie knew Jesus and loved sharing the WORD with others. We will continue to pray for peace and comfort for the entire Family especially his princess Arlinda. May our God keep you all.
Love, Cousin Connie & Eddie Perry and family
To the family of Robbie Collins. He was the most kind, caring, loving friend a person could ever have. Always smiling when he saw you. Robbie will be missed by all who knew and loved him. God bless your family. Continued prayers and sending lots of love for you all.
Sincerely, Linda Boston
Quincy, IL
Rob this is ur little cousin Tarik.. it hurts knowing your no longer here… I keep going to your Facebook and seeing we still friends I be wanting to say HEY CUZZO but I can’t…. Miss u always cuzzo.. Say hi to Uncle Claude(ur dad) Ain’t Margaret my grandmama and the rest of our Penny/Collins family up there….. 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭 next year family reunion won’t be the same
My condolences go out to Robert’s family. I enjoyed talking to Robert weekly about a wide array of topics. He was incredibly intelligent and just a very down-to-earth type of person. He was a tremendous interpreter at SHS for many students and was always willing to help teachers. He will be missed!
I grew up with Rob in Sparta. He was a year ahead of me in school. I probably spent the most time with him playing basketball on the courts at the old Sparta-Lincoln playground near my house.
He was kind, brilliant, a natural leader and a great athlete.
I offer my deepest condolenses to his family and loved ones. His loss leave a tremendous void.
Prayers for you all, Rob and I go way back, since we were little kids playing in the neighborhood, he was my good Friend, Classmate and Teammate, we had many good laughs throughout the years,he was a Gentleman, a Class act,going to miss my Buddy, R.I.P. Rob,Gone,but Never Forgotten!😥
Stunned and deeply saddened to learn that Rob Von Collins has passed away. We met in high school and he was wise beyond his years with a deep and abiding love for the Lord. We attended church together and he helped with my chemistry homework. Many years have passed but I will always remember how patient, generous and kind he was.
May the good Lord comfort and strengthen his family through the days and years ahead. For even though we are mourning his absence on earth, “We are confident, I say and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord” 2 Corinthians 5:8. He was a good man. No wonder the Lord was ready to greet him face to face.
I first met Rob in the second grade. From that day to now he always had a quiet confidence I admired. My sincere condolences to the Collins family. To my classmate (1983) rest easy in God’s arms. If a 1000 years on heaven is but one day here on earth then soon he’ll see loved one’s again. God grant peace to the entire family. God Bless!
Very sad to learn of Robert’s passing. He was very warm and genial and very knowledgeable and intelligent. He had such a wide range of talents. We are devastated to think of Arlinda at such a young age growing up without her Dad. They had such a strong and loving bond. Our hearts go out to her and to all the family.
I am absolutely devastated. We grew up together and studied together. He was the perfect friend, teammate, and the
best person anyone could know. I’m sorry we lost touch but we did reconnect on FB. Prayers for his family, especially his beautiful daughter which I know he loved and treasured.
We worked together more than five years. Everyday we set students’ chairs to eat our lunch to discuss everything including countries, families, students, books, even politicians and religious. You were very happy to talk everyday. I enjoyed everything you said.
When we needed your help you always put down your work to help us.
You were a very nice gentleman. You will be very missed.
I grew up with Rob. We both went to Sparta High School in Southern Illinois. He was one of the kindest people I have ever met. He will be terribly missed.
Robert was an important part to our ESL team at Springfield High School. He worked hard for our students and families. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter,Arlinda, and the rest of his family. Robert will be missed.
I enjoyed working with Mr. Collins at Springfield High School. He will be greatly missed by students and faculty. My prayers and thought are with his family.
Rob was such a vibrant presence, wherever he went. It was always interesting to talk with him, and you would come away educated and informed, without even trying. So abrupt a loss. Condolences to the family and those fortunate enough to call him friend.