Dale Collins Sr., lifelong trucker
Dale Collins Sr., 75, of Milford, passed away suddenly Tuesday, June 14, 2022, doing what he loved to do, “truck.”
Dale grew up all over lower Delaware, Maryland and Hastings, Fla., from farm to farm, which gave him the desire for trucking. He started his trucking career in 1963 and never looked back. He married Shirley, the love of his life, in 1970. The love they shared grew by having three children and so did his trucking business. He was well-known up and down the East Coast for trucking as “Lefty” or “99.” Dale hauled clams for 40 years, anywhere from Massachusetts down to Delaware. You could always find him at Joe B’s or the diners with a cup of coffee and good ole boys’ story to the youngsters. As long as he was hauling, he was making money to provide for his family.
Dale was an exceptional person who touched the lives of so many along his way. You could never be in a bad mood around him because he always had a joke ready to tell you. Dale never met a stranger, making everyone his friend, or part of his family. He loved his family more than life itself and his family loved him just as much. Our hearts are broken without him here. Hammer down Daddy, until we see you again. Forever loved and forever missed! Lefty, your legacy lives on.
Dale is preceded in death by his parents, John Raleigh and Dollie Winifield (Lewis) Collins; and brothers, John Wendel Collins and Robert Collins.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley Collins of Milford; children, Dale Collins Jr., Bennetta Collins, Rebecca (Collins) Maguire and their spouses, all of Milford; as well as two adopted sons, Erick Maya and Marc Bowers. Dale is also survived by his seven grandchildren, Codie Hall, Tristen Heacock, Sierra Yonker, Dale Collins III, John Noah Collins, Joseph See and James See, along with their spouses; his great-grandchildren Ava and Emma Heacock; and his four siblings Janice Moore, Gloria Gordon, David Collins and Jerry Collins.
Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m., Saturday, June 25, at Berry-Short Funeral Home, 119 N.W. Front St., Milford. A time of visitation will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Interment to be held at Millsboro Cemetery.
