Robert Hoyal Collier, Jr., MD
August 15, 1939 - December 31, 2020

Robert Hoyal Collier Jr., MD
8/15/1939 - 12/31/2020

Dr. Bob Collier passed on to his next big adventure on December 31, 2020 at the age of 81. He was born in Cherokee County, NC on August 15, 1939 to Barbara Ries Collier and Robert H. Collier, Sr.


This 1957 graduate of Central High School served his community as a noted surgeon and preservationist. During his high school years, Bob proudly served in O'Dell Willis' Central Marching and Concert Bands, transitioning from saxophone to alto clarinet. "The four years of Band gave me continuity and a sense of really belonging to something all through high school." Bob had the opportunity to spend a summer in Germany as a part of an American Field Service exchange program. He was selected as one of Central's two exchange students for the summer of 1956, and lived with a family in Germany. Bob and a son from the family bicycled 1,000 miles through southern Germany, Switzerland and Austria. "It was an experience that enlarged the world for me in people, sights and sounds, history and geography." He was inducted into Central High School's "Wall of Fame" in 2017.

After graduation from Central, Bob attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, as he was considering a career as an engineer. After one year he changed his goal to medicine and enrolled in the pre-med program at UT in Knoxville, from 1958 to 1960. In an English class at UT, he became acquainted with a fellow student, Louise Thompson, who shared his love of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. They were married in 1960.

Bob completed his medical degree at UT Medical Units in Memphis in 1963, graduating third in his class. After graduation, he completed his internship and residency in Atlanta, then served for two years in the U. S. Air Force as a general surgeon with the rank of major, at Hill Air Force Base, north of Salt Lake City, Utah.

Bob returned to Knoxville, eventually establishing a practice in general and vascular surgery. His medical career included serving as chief of staff of St. Mary's Hospital, performing Knoxville's first laparoscopic gall bladder surgery, being one of the founders of Premier Surgical Associates and serving as director of a wound center. He practiced medicine in Knoxville for 40 years, working tirelessly with such compassion that coworkers as well as patients and their families will always remember how he touched their lives.

With his retirement in 2012, Bob and Louise had more time to spend birding, enjoying their farm in Union County and traveling. They also remained very active and involved members at Fountain City Presbyterian Church where he taught Sunday School for 35 years, served as a deacon and an elder, led many disaster relief trips to Louisiana, Mississippi, and West Virginia, as well as counseling and mentoring many church and community members. Among his many hobbies and interests, he enjoyed rock hounding, hiking, birding and wildflowers, wood turning, farming and gardening, UT sports, and family genealogy. He was a life-long learner and amassed a home library that would rival any institution. His passion for the natural world led him to writing and education. Bob and Louise lead hikes and gave talks at a North Carolina resort, "The Swag," adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Bob helped develop outdoor classrooms in Halls and Powell, and served as a nature guide at Ijams Nature Center in South Knoxville.

His interest in environmental stewardship led him to assist with founding the Beaver Creek Watershed Association. The Hallsdale Powell Utility District presented him with an Environmental Stewardship Award recognizing his many years of effort to improve the quality of water and preserve the environmental values of the watershed.

Dr. Bob's wildlife columns in the Halls Shopper motivated readers to grab the binoculars and head out to the wonderful refuges, hills and lakes of the United States. Those of us who have enjoyed armchair birding, and insights into our local culture through his columns also enjoyed the publication of a collection of his writings by the University of Tennessee Press entitled "Wonderful Weeds and Various Varmits".

As an active birder, Bob accrued a life list of over 600 species. Just this past year (2020) he exceeded over 300 species in Tennessee alone!

Bob has deep roots in Knox County. His great grandfather bought land in the Powell area in 1890. His grandmother, Stella Moore Collier, lived on and farmed a portion of that land until she died at 84. His grandmother passed away in 1967, and the family farm along Emory Road ultimately came to Bob and his brother, Ries. Bob and Louise's interest in conservation led to the generous donation of several acres on which the county constructed the Powell Branch Library. Additionally, they donated 12 acres for an adjacent natural preserve, restricted from development to provide an enduring refuge for the Powell community called the Stella Moore Collier Preserve. The Colliers worked with Legacy Parks Foundation to plan and develop this green space. Bob and Louise were named Man and Woman of the Year by the Powell Business Association in 2017.

He is preceded in death by parents, Barbara Ries Collier and Robert H. Collier Sr.; sons, David Allen Collier and Ries William Collier.

He is survived by spouse of 60 years, Louise Thompson Collier; son, Robert H. (Bobby) Collier III and his wife Patti; daughter, Lara Collier Atkins and her husband Steve; grandsons, Justin Collier, Ries Collier and his wife Katherine, and Gabe Atkins; brother, Ries Stuart Collier and his wife Mary; as well as many other family members and friends.

The family will be gathering for a private graveside service. A celebration of life will be held when the family feels it is safe to be conducted.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Fountain City Presbyterian Church (fountaincitypres.org), Legacy Parks Foundation (legacyparks.org), or Second Harvest Foodbank of East Tennessee (secondharvestetn.org).

We have liberally borrowed from the "Wall of Fame" tribute by Courtney Shea to create this memorial. The family added lots of personal memories.

Gentry Griffey Funeral Chapel is honored to serve the Collier family and invites you to view and sign the online registry.

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