Donald R. Collins

Donald R. (Dooley) Collins born July 20, 1940.  He was former owner and operator of Collins Auto Body before his retirement, and for a few years, he was head custodian at Spaulding High School. He was the son of Fred and Ruth Rankin Collins of Rochester.  He Graduated from Spaulding High School and served 2 years in the US Army. As a youngster, he always liked to design and draw pictures, especially cars of the future. He started doing auto body at the young age of 16 and never stopped.  His specialty was fiberglass bodies and was well known for his exceptional work repairing Corvettes.  Having owned the first in Rochester, was his 1963 "split window" Corvette, a car he cherished until Uncle Sam called him for duty. He was a perfectionist at "pin striping" dash boards, helmets, and truck/car bodies.   He was once an avid racer on the drag strip in Sanford Maine with his 1965, 327 Chevrolet.  He also raced in the Dover Soap Box Derby in the 40's with the late Marty Therrien of the then "Therrien's...