Terry Collins: Mourners line street in spectacular send-off for King of Sheffield's beloved brother
Mourners lined the streets today to pay their final respects and celebrate the life of beloved Sheffield dad and granddad, Terry Collins, as his spectacular send-off brought a part of the city to a standstill.
A silver Rolls Royce hearse, complete with fluorescent lighting and some of his favourite songs playing, led the procession of over a dozen luxurious Rolls Royce vehicles to St Theresa’s Roman Catholic church on the Manor estate this morning (Thursday, October 24, 2024).
Carrying Terry’s lavish platinum casket into church, were those closest to Terry, some of whom wore T-shirts emblazoned with a photograph of his face on the front, and the caption: “RIP Terry Collins ‘The Toucher’.”
A red carpet was laid out on the entrance to the church, ahead of the mourners arriving, along with a giant photograph in a frame of poppies.
Parked outside the church were two trucks, with spectacular and touching floral tributes in the shape of hearts, and one showing Terry in his work gear, complete with a high-vis vest.
Dozens of mourners gathered on Queen Mary Road, dressed in their finery, many in traditional black, from just after 10am, until Terry’s hearse arrived at 11.15am, bringing Prince of Wales Road to a partial standstill.
In a family tribute provided to The Star, Terry was described as a ‘loveable rogue’ and a ‘very good husband and father and grandfather’ by those closest to him.
“He will be deeply missed by everyone. Terry always helped everyone and anyone,” Terry’s family have said.
Terry, who was born into a large Sheffield traveller family, leaves behind wife Kathleen and his four sons Martin, Terry, Tom, and Paddy Joe.
He was born only a year apart from brother, Willy Collins, who died aged 49 in 2020, after collapsing while on holiday in Majorca, Spain with his family.
He was said to be ‘very close’ to Willy, and ‘never got over his death’.