Collin Linwood Rouse

Collin L. Rouse, aka Lin, Uncle Lin and Uncle Rouse (Dante Burns Capuano) was born March 20, 1935 and the 12th child of James and Tinnie Cogdell Rouse of Hookerton, North Carolina. He was a man with a lot of strength and integrity.

Collin graduated from Greene County Training School class of 1954. He was an avid baseball and football player for his high school. Since there were eight boys in the family they were able to form their own baseball team and they recruited some of their nephews. They were called the Red Hill Team. He also was a school bus driver for Bus #20.

On December 22, 1957 he married his childhood friend and the love of his life, Ruby L. Ormond Rouse. To this union they were blessed with two daughters. The late Cynthia Denise Rouse Cox and Adrienne Rouse Senior. Collin believed in working real hard to provide stability, protection and a good life for his family. He was a praying man always believing that God will always see us through.

He worked at Newton Die Cast; Albalene Pest Control as a manager until the business was sold to Orkin Pest Control. He also joined ACME Pest Control and he was the manager of the Termite Department. After working with the company, Collin had a vision to start his own business called Total Pest Control. After he encountered a stroke he had to come out on early retirement. That did not stop him from working, if anything retirement made him work even more.

After he rehabbed himself, he found himself doing things he enjoyed in life. He loved gardening, mowing his lawn (especially riding his tractor), cooking; with his signature dish being chopped bar-b-que and his home made sauce. He loved chopping his bar b-que on the wood block that his father made for him from the tree branch that was on their homeland in Hookerton, NC. He was also known for making his homemade chocolate and walnut frosting and cake and homemade grape wine. He will definitely be missed by his family for cooking home meals. Sunday dinners with Wednesday as Spaghetti day and Fridays were fish day. This was his pride and joy.

Collin was a member of St. Stephen's AME Zion Church for 68 years. He served on the Trustee Board, Senior Choir and the Willing Workers, which they worked diligently to raise funds at the Branford Festival to take care of the church. Collin was a member of the Universal Mason which now joined in with Prince Hall Mason of New Haven, CT. He received his 32nd Degree. Collin was slated to be a recipient of the Martin Luther King Heritage Foundation Award. He was honored by the Hartford District Lay Council in 2018.

Collin, along with his wife and daughter, started a family gospel group called the Marvel. The group consisted of Beth Bynum, Retha Bynum, Lubertha Hill, his best friend Clement Beamon (CG) and sometimes Adrienne Senior. They loved singing God's praises.

Collin was predeceased by 7 brothers and 4 sisters. Collin leaves to cherish his beloved daughter, Adrienne Rouse Senior (Cliff), Son in Law, Bishop, Robert Cox. He inherited a granddaughter, Elisha Cox Johnson (Brandon) of Richmond, VA, Jaylen, Ryan and their mother Shakenah Albright. A niece who resided with him, Kendra Elder. Five sister-in-laws: Beth Bynum of Hamden, CT, Joan Bynum (Sherman) New Haven, CT, Lubertha Hill, Retha Bynum of Darlington, SC, Elizabeth Howard of Woodbridge, CT. Two Brother-in-laws: Leon Bynum (Patricia) and Isaiah Bynum of New Haven, CT. A grand host of nieces and nephews and the St. Stephens AME Zion Church family. May he forever rest in peace.

The Man the Myth, the Legend

His famous motto: You got to use it before you lose it and Don't give up.