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William Collier, 80, teacher, firefighter

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, for William Collier, 80, of Buckingham Township, a teacher and firefighter who died Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Doylestown Hospital of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, Dec. 6, for William Collier, 80, of Buckingham Township, a teacher and firefighter who died Wednesday, Nov. 12, at Doylestown Hospital of complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

The 11 a.m. service will take place at the Bux-Mont Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 2040 W. Street Rd., Warrington. Burial is private.

"Bill," as he was called, first taught in the Maple Shade School District in 1957. Later, he joined the Hatboro-Horsham School District and spent 37 years as a social studies teacher. He retired in 1995.

Mr. Collier received a master's degree in education from Lehigh University in 1969.

Mr. Collier grew up in Willow Grove and graduated from Upper Moreland High School in 1952. He  attended Penn State Ogontz and the main university at State College. He received his bachelor of science degree in 1956, along with a commission as a second lieutenant in the Army Reserve.

Mr. Collier trained at Fort Knox, Ky., and served in a number of Army Reserve tank and mechanized infantry units. He retired in 1986 with the rank of colonel after 30 years of service.

As a young man, Mr. Collier joined the Willow Grove Fire Company, where he was a firefighter until his move to Warminster Township in 1960. There he joined the Hartsville Fire Company and rose to become company vice president and assistant fire chief.

Surviving are his wife, Nancy R. Bruce; daughters Kathleen Collier Ermigotti and Cheryl Collier-Brown; stepdaughter Emily Labows; eight grandchildren; a sister; and two nieces.

He was married to Dawn Collier. The couple had two daughters before divorcing. She survives.

Donations may be made to Bux-Mont Meals on Wheels, 414 S. York Rd., Hatboro, Pa. 19040.