Warren Collier was born on October 1, 1928 in Cincinnati, Ohio, the son of Ashton and Louise Collier. When he was 9 years old the family, including his sister Mary, moved to Portland, Oregon. On Sunday, July 26, 2015, at the age of 86 years old, Warren passed away peacefully, leaving behind his wife of nearly 32 years, Judy, son Wade and daughter Cherie.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his sister, and his daughter, Carmen, who passed away when she was just 15 years-old.

Warren graduated from the University of Oregon in 1950, where he obtained a Bachelor Degree in General Social Sciences. From 1951 to 1954 Warren served in the Air Force, including serving in the Korean War as a radio repairman. After completing his service for his country, Warren went to work at Tektronix where over a 31 year career he held a wide variety of interesting and challenging jobs, including product evaluation, product design, and marketing. In 1956 he married his first wife, Rhoda, with whom he had his three children before they divorced in 1972. When he retired from Tektronix in 1986 he was the Manager of Metrology and Standards, in the quality assurance organization.

After retiring, Warren for many years turned his primary attention on word puzzles – both solving and creating the puzzles, primarily acrostics. He even wrote a computer program that assisted other enthusiasts in creating their own puzzles, and he wrote, sold and distributed an acrostic newsletter for several years. Another passion of Warren’s for many years of his adult life was photography, and he was extremely proud of the work that he did in this area. Other significant accomplishments in Warren’s life included: inventing an “electronic running-time meter,” which patent was assigned to Tektronix; winning the International Single Parent of the Year Award from Parents Without Partners in 1982; and climbing both Mount Hood and Mount St. Helens in his 40’s. Over the course of his life he enjoyed a variety of activities and interests including hiking and backpacking with his son, bicycling, international travel, and spending time in Central Texas at his daughter and her fiancé’s ranch.

At the age of 82, Warren was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. These past several years were very challenging for both Warren and Judy as they navigated all of the challenges that come with Parkinson’s. But Warren remained optimistic and stoic through it all, continuing to enjoy his daily routine at the coffee shop and talking and joking with his many close and loving friends and extended family members. He was very appreciative of the love and care that he received from Judy and so many in his immediate and extended family, as well as close personal friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations can be made in Warren’s memory to Parkinson’s Resources of Oregon. Warren has been interred at the Riverview Abbey near where his daughter, Carmen, was laid to rest in 1973.