COLLINGS, William

COLLINGS, William. (Dubuque, IA, Mar. 23, 1929--Dubuque, IA, Dec. 12, 2019- ). Between 1966 and 2007 Collings served as the organist for FIRST CONGREGATIONAL UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST. Making the record more unique was the fact that Collings achieved this distinction by traveling from his home in Chicago, Illinois, every week by train or bus to practice and then play for church services on Sunday morning.

The son of William H. Collings and Maud E. (Nieter) Collings, Bill earned his Baccalaureate and Law Degree from Northwestern University in Chicago. Following graduation from law school, he served in the U.S. Navy as a Navy Air Intelligence Officer aboard the aircraft carrier, Coral Sea, in the Mediterranean. After his honorable service to the Navy, Bill enjoyed a long and successful career with Chicago Title Insurance Company for 43 years as a title examiner.

Collings was associated with the American Guild of Organists for forty-five years. Bill loved Christian music, classical music, and he especially loved organ music. He became an accomplished organist and served First Congregational UCC from 1966 to 2007 where he was a faithful member. He was a member of the Organ Guild, American Legion, Masonic Lodge #125, the Shriners, and was an active member of two different Bible study groups.

Bill touched many lives and will be remembered for his many unique gifts, talents and interests. His Bible study friends will remember him as a scholar of the Bible. Bill was known as a scholarly man, full of knowledge, and willing to share his wisdom with everyone. His favorite subjects were history, religion, and words. He mastered the game of Scrabble and loved the challenge of a good competitive game with several “Scrabble friends.” Many called him a “Walking Dictionary.”

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Source:

1. Obituaries, Telegraph Herald, December 13, 2019, p.6 B