Judge Chris Collier remembered during service

Robb Collier III said his younger brother, Chris, was the anchor in the family of six children.

Robb Collier and his father, Robert Collier Jr., remembered their brother and a son, Superior Court Judge Chris Collier, during a memorial service Sunday before a packed congregation at Broad Street United Methodist Church.

The service to remember Chris Collier, who died Wednesday following an illness of nearly a month, included Gov. Beverly Perdue and Chief Justice of the N.C. Supreme Court Sarah Parker.

“Wow, there’s a lot of people,” Robb Collier said before telling the crowd about his brother.

Chris Collier’s father, retired Superior Court Judge Robert Collier Jr., told the crowd that this memorial service was designed to be different from most. Because neither of the two ministers speaking at the service, Dr. Hal Warlick and Dr. Michael Gehring, knew Chris very well, Robert Collier said, it was decided he and his oldest son should be the ones to remember Chris.

He said his son would be stunned at the number of people in the crowd at his memorial service.

“Chris was an unusually private person,” he said.

Robert Collier said the family and Chris’ friends are still trying to grasp the reason he was taken away at age 48.

“He was one of the kindest, conscientious, considerate individuals,” Robert Collier said of his son. He spoke of the close relationship Chris shared with his grandfather, Robert Collier Sr. “He gave Chris his Rolex watch,” he said. Chris Collier then gave that watch to his father for his 70^th birthday. “I still wear that watch to this day,” he said.

He said his son shared a love of the ocean, Lake Norman and fishing with his grandfather.

When Robert Collier Sr. decided he didn’t want to endure the long ride to the family’s home in Wrightsville Beach, he offered to pay for flying lessons for any of his grandchildren who were interested. “Chris was the only one that took him up on it,” Robert Collier said, adding that the grandfather helped Chris buy a plane and the two enjoyed many trips together.

He read two letters written to the family during the past few weeks – one from a close friend and the other from a court reporter who worked with Chris Collier.

Long-time friend Louise Gilbert Freeman said Chris Collier always wanted the best for her. “He always had my back long before having someone’s back was an idiom,” Collier read.

Court reporter Pam Harris wrote that Chris Collier was a great boss, and described his compassion, even when handing down sentences to defendants.

Robb Collier described his brother -- who was the middle child among siblings Robb, Burr, Paige, Anne and Elizabeth -- as “the fixer, the hardest worker, the most-driven -- well, except for Paige. She was pretty driven,” he said, eliciting laughter from the crowd.

He said his brother, while driven to succeed, did enjoy himself when in the presence of friends and family.

His brother, described in recent days as a gentle soul and a kind spirit, had a profound impact in this community and across the state.

“As quiet and shy as he was, Chris touched many people,” Robb Collier said.

He said his brother’s gentle nature and compassion will be missed by his family and his wide circle of friends.

“What happened is tragic,” he said.

But, Robb Collier said, the family has been comforted by the many thoughts, prayers, cards, letters and flowers they’ve received in the weeks since Chris Collier was first hospitalized.

He also spoke of his brother’s determination to follow in the footsteps of their father and grandfather into the law profession. His nephew, Will Wiseman, is following in those footsteps now.

Robert Collier said his son was cremated and his ashes will be spread in the places that were special to him in his life – Wrightsville Beach, Blowing Rock and near the grave of his grandfather. As he concluded his thoughts, Robert Collier invited everyone to attend a reception at the Statesville Country Club.

“You can reconnect with friends you haven’t seen in a while, which is what Chris would have wanted,” he said.