James Arthur (Collise) Collisi

James Arthur Collisi (aka Collise), age 73, passed away Tuesday, 7/17/18 from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis at TriPoint Medical Center in Concord Twp.

He was born May 11, 1945 in Cleveland, the son of the late Arthur F. & Leola M. (Burgan) Collisi and has resided in Lake and Ashtabula Counties most of his life.  Jim was a 1964 graduate of St. John High School and a 1975 graduate of Kent State University.  He married Bernice Carol Locher on July 16, 1983 at Immaculate Conception Church in Madison.  Jim retired in 1996 after 27 years of teaching at the Dorset, Rock Creek and Jefferson Elementary schools in the Jefferson Area Local School District.

Teaching was his life.  His students always came first.  He taught his students, based on the philosophy of Henry Royce, co-founder of Rolls-Royce, “Strive for perfection in everything you do. Take the best that exists and make it better.  When it does not exist, create it.  Accept nothing nearly right or good enough”.  He was an active representative in JATA and OEA in his early teaching years, received the Martha Holden Jennings Scholar in 1979, Conservation Teacher of the Year in 1990 and the Ashtabula Co. Teacher of the Year in 1995.  He participated in LEADERship Ashtabula County in 1991.

He enjoyed spending time with friends, playing the organ, providing dinner music at area restaurants and special community and school events, walking the local beaches in search of driftwood to create walking sticks, watching old movies and eating bowls of spaghetti and meatballs.

Survivors include his wife, Bernice; a sister, Janice (Robert) Denihan of Mentor; Several nieces & nephews, sisters-in-law & brothers-in-law and cousins; childhood friends, Tom (JoAnn) DuBay of Cleveland & Fr. Tom Sweany of Chesterland and his beloved cats, Simon, Nicholas, Benjamin, Albert & Twinkie.

A Memorial Mass will be held Saturday, August 4, 2018 at 11:00 A. M. at St. Anselm Catholic Church, 12969 Chillicothe Rd., Chesterland with childhood friend, Pastor Thomas Sweany officiating.  In lieu of flowers, direct memorial contributions to the Animal Protective League, 5970 Green Rd., Ashtabula, OH  44004 or the Western Reserve Humane Society, 20671 Trebec Blvd., Euclid, OH  44119.  Envelopes will also be at the church.

The Fleming & Billman Funeral Directors and Crematory, 49 W. Jefferson St., Jefferson is handling arrangements and is honored to serve the James Collisi family.  Visit fleming-billman.com to view obituary, express condolences or light a candle.

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