LAKE MILTON Ora Wendell Collier, age 87 of Lake Milton passed away peacefully at the Crandall Medical Center in Sebring, OH on January 2, 2015 at 4:20AM He was born on Feb. 23, 1927 in Blackey, KY the son of the later Courtney Clay Collier and Rose A. (Alexander) Collier. Ora grew up in a family of two brothers James Leslie Collier (deceased), Courtney Collier Jr,(deceased) and seven sisters: Genola "Ferne" Banks of Baltimore, MD, Mildred "Faye" Eldridge of Middletown, OH, Hester Caudill of Gilbert, AZ, Thelma King (deceased), Wanda Howard of Marysville, OH, Maurleen Collins of Isom, KY, and Phyllis Malkovich of Gilbert, AZ. He graduated from Whitesburg High School in Whitesburg, KY, where he loved to play football. In 1943 at the age of 16 he traveled far from home to work with the American Barge Line to work on a sternwheeler tow boat named Robert F. Brandt. Among other things , he set the red and green lanterns on the forward deck at nightfall. The Robert F. Brandt traveled from the mouth of the Mississippi River where it joins the Ohio River, at Cairo, Illinois, along the Ohio River to Pittsburgh and back. Wendell served in the US Army as an M-1 rifle marksman. In 1948, he came to Ravenna and accepted work at Rockwell Intentional in Newton Falls as a welder from 1948 to 1976 when the plant closed. At Rockwell, they called him "Chief". After Rockwell closed, he accepted work at Transue Williams in Alliance. He leaves his wife whom he married in July 1949, Patricia Collier, (who became Patricia Collier Collier) at the United Methodist Church in Ravenna. Patricia is currently a resident at Crandall Medical Center. Together, Ora and Patricia had David Wendell Collier (deceased), Susan Collier Shreffler(Jay), Larry Collier (Pamela), Daniel Collier, and Brian Collier (Denise). Wendell has 8 grandchildren, and 6 great -grandchildren. During his retirement, he enjoyed hunting, target practice, working in his shop, riding his bicycle 6 miles per day, and most of all he loved his grandchildren. The family would like to thank the staff at Crandall Medical Center , where Ora made his home over the last year. The family would also like to thank Hospice of the Valley for its guidance and dedication. Funeral services will be at the James Funeral Home in Newton Falls on Sunday January 4, 2015 at 3:00PM Calling hours will be one hour prior to service time from 2:00PM to 3:00PM Ora will be laid to rest at Newton Falls Cemetery. The family ask that contributions take the form of donations to Hospice of the Valley 5190 Market Street Youngstown, Ohio 44512 Arrangements have been entrusted to the James Funeral Home, 8 East Broad Street, Newton Falls, OH 44444 (330)872-5440. Family and friends may view this obituary online or to send condolences please visit us at www.jamesfuneralhomeinc.com