David Bruce Collins Jr.

David B. Collins, Jr. Obituary
There was nothing David Collins loved more than the ocean, and being out
on it in his boat, rod at hand and reel ready, family and friends near.
Nothing, that is, except his wife and children, whom he loved deeply and
who returned that love in full. David Bruce Collins, Jr. of Wilmington, North
Carolina, died on July 21, 2024, aged 61.
David was born in Athens, Georgia, to David Bruce Collins, Sr. and Renee
Williamson Godwin. He grew up mostly in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
and Charlotte, North Carolina, where he attended Myers Park High School,
Central Piedmont Community College, and the University of North Carolina
at Charlotte, from which he graduated cum laude in 1986 with a Bachelor
of Science degree in biology.
Continuing his education, David received his Juris Doctor and a Master of
Business Administration from the University of South Carolina at Columbia
in 1993. Shortly thereafter, he was admitted to the bars of North and
South Carolina and the federal courts in those jurisdictions. In 1996, he
founded Collins Law Firm in Wilmington, North Carolina, where he
practiced for the rest of his life, focusing on criminal defense, traffic, and
personal injury law. He was, as well, a great mentor to several generations
of young lawyers and lawyers-to-be.
David was a member of Wrightsville United Methodist Church from the time
he moved as a young man to Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina until his
death. He loved life and was passionate not only about the ocean and
fishing but also about golf and music. He was a great guitar player and
really loved playing acoustic folk music sing-alongs. More than anything,
David loved his family dearly and adored his wife, Jana, and his children,
Sarah and Dave. Watching his children excel in sports was his great joy,
and he traveled all over the Southeast to see them play.
David is survived by his wife of 21 years, Jana Hertel Collins; daughter,
Sarah Morgan Collins; son, David Bruce Collins, III; mother, Renee
Williamson Godwin and stepfather, Dr. Herman Allen Godwin, Jr. of
Charlotte; brother, John Duren Collins and his partner, Hannah Peele, of
Hillsborough, North Carolina; stepsister, Lois Convere McNichols (John)
and stepbrother Martin Allen Godwin (Amy) both of Charlotte; and
stepbrother, John Myers Godwin of Albuquerque, New Mexico; and his dog
friends, Newton and Onslow. David was predeceased by his father, David
Bruce Collins, Sr. and stepsister, Sophie Elizabeth Sawyer.
David will be buried on August 2nd at 11:30 AM at Lakeside Cemetery in
Conway, South Carolina. The Rev. Charles A. Collins, Jr., Rector of St.
Andrews Anglican Church, Savannah, Georgia, will officiate. Following the
service, there will be an opportunity to visit with the family at the Cypress
Inn, 16 Elm Street in Conway.
It's easy to imagine David, moving out on the swells, the sun setting
behind the dunes, bending to the pull of a fish, surrounded forever by those
who love and were loved by him.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the charity of the donor's
choice or to one or more of the following:
A Helping Hand of Wilmington
5013 Wrightsville Avenue
Wilmington, NC 28403
Coastal Horizons Center, Inc.
615 Shipyard Boulevard
Wilmington, NC 28412
New Hanover High School Football Booster Club, Inc.,
P.O. Box 7071
Wilmington, NC 28406