Mark S Collins

We lost a very special person on Dec. 29th 2018, Mark Collins, age 68. He passed away peacefully at his home in southern California. Mark was born in St. Louis Missouri on March 23, 1950. He was the oldest of four children. Mark was the beloved son of Lorraine Collins and sibling to his brother Bret Collins, and sisters Lisa Collins and Dawn Duffy. He was married to Bonnie Sue (Susie) Collins who passed away in 2000. Marks' extended California family included his very good friend and business associate, Brien Pierson, and long term relationship, Dixie Thompson. Mark is survived by his siblings. Mark was a long-time San Diego resident and a very special friend to those who knew him. He brought a special kind of joy to everyone he met. He was playful and charming in a unique way that made him memorable to those he met throughout his life. And boy did he love to tell his life experiences in stories. He lived and eventful life. He laughed often. And those he loved, he loved deeply. You knew he loved you because he said so often. In 1971 when Mark was 21, he graduated from 20 weeks of rigorous training in the Navy Underwater Demolition Team and SEAL (Sea, Air, Land) course at the Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California. He became a member of an elite special forces, all volunteer group responsible for beach and amphibious reconnaissance. He remained a Navy SEAL throughout his military career while also becoming a special services advanced medical corpsman. He was proud of those extreme physically and mentally challenging accomplishments. Rightfully so since that made him a member of a truly exceptional group that few are able to accomplish. Additionally, Mark had a Master's in Computer Science. He worked in Information Technology as a software developer and a technical architect designing, implementing and coding IT solutions. Mark provided professional services for Fortune 500 companies in the IT industry for over 25 years. A memorial service will be announced later, please check back for further information. Lorraine Collins Tribute https://tributes.com/Lorraine-Collins