Paul D. Collins, lived life to the fullest

Paul D. Collins, 75, of Lewes, who lived life to the fullest and freely shared his many talents with others, died Thursday, March 27, 2025, after a valiant battle against cancer. 

An accomplished technologist, executive, and business owner, Paul’s love of adventure led him to travel the world. His passions included sailing, community service, dogs, and lifelong learning.

Born in Richmond, Va., to Marion (Wright) Collins and Myron Collins, Paul graduated from John Marshall High School and attended Virginia Commonwealth University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a minor in philosophy. He studied civil engineering at Virginia Tech and later received master’s degrees in biopsychology and biomedical engineering from Rutgers University.

Paul retired in 2010 following a 25-year career with TotalTec Systems, where he served as chief technology officer and chief information officer. Earlier, he worked for the New York State Institute for Basic Research.

An avid sailor and sailboat owner for decades, Paul was a competitive sailboat racer in New Jersey and Delaware, participating in weekly races at the Lewes Yacht Club. Piloting his J/80, Born To Run, he won the Cape-to-Cape Challenge in 2013.

Water adventures were a recurring feature of Paul’s travels with his wife of 23 years, Denise Bridgens.

Frequent visitors to Paris, Paul and Denise also sailed the waterways of France from Normandy to Provence, as well as east and west. In Egypt, they rented a boat to sail the Nile at their own pace. They cruised the South Pacific on a small ship, allowing them to visit remote islands and gain a glimpse into remote village living. Other adventures included a Crystal Cruise to the Caribbean as well as travel to Romania, Hungary, and Venice, where Paul and Denise immersed themselves in the city’s architecture, history, and food.

In 2023, the couple took their bucket list trip to the Arctic Circle in Norway to experience the Northern Lights. Nature seemed to know this was a special event and put on an amazing display.

When not traveling abroad, Paul and Denise loved Frostbite Falls Farm, their eight-acre horse farm in New Vernon, N.J., where they spent 10 years before moving to Lewes.

Paul embodied the spirit of community service, learning, and adventure in every aspect of his life.

Paul and Denise were among the founders of the Lewes Unleashed dog park, and he served as its president for six years. Paul and Denise are a foster family for Cavalier Rescue USA. Paul was also a passionate supporter of Lewes Historical Society, and for the past 13 years could often be found entertaining visitors to Lewes Historic Complex.

Paul was a dedicated member, a talented instructor, and an extraordinary volunteer at the University of Delaware’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute. He served on OLLI’s governing council, chaired committees, organized social and fundraising activities, and generously applied his technical expertise for the benefit of OLLI’s more than 2,000 members.

During the pandemic lockdown, Paul led the training of members to use Zoom, an incredible feat that kept the age 50-plus community connected when many other organizations fell silent. Thanks to his efforts, University of Delaware was among the first of 125 OLLI chapters nationwide to offer online classes during the pandemic. Paul was also instrumental in developing OLLI’s hybrid learning model so that online participation could continue after in-person classes resumed.

Paul’s first wife, Patricia Collins, passed away in 1999.

In addition to his wife, Denise, Paul is survived by his cousin, Cathy (Collins) Listander and her son Alexander; cousin, Barclay Collins and his wife Judy, and their daughters Brittany and Bayleigh Collins; cousins, Marie Listander, and Craig and Linda Bogley; and goddaughters, Erika Nedderman and Emily Hamilton. Paul is also survived by his two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, McKinley and Denali.

Plans for a celebration of life ceremony will be announced at a later date.

Memorial contributions may be made to Humane Animal Partners, 701 A St., Wilmington, DE 19801, humaneanimalpartners.org. When donating, specify that it is in Paul's memory. 

Visit Paul's Life Memorial webpage at parsellfuneralhomes.com.