Born in Fall River in 1931 to George J. Collias and Elpiniki (Pappaspyrou) Collias, he is survived by his four loving children, Michele (husband James) and sons George, John, and Philip and Philip's son Nicolas, his grandson. Jeanne, his wife of 65 years, predeceased him in 2020, as did his brother John in 2009. In addition, he is survived by his sister-in-law Nancy (Heaney) Boissoneau (Paul, 5/2017) and her children, his nieces Jane, Maryann and nephew Thomas, and their children. Peter left this life peacefully, in his own bed surrounded by his children in his cherished Westport Harbor home, to which he retired after a full working life in his beloved Fall River.
Peter graduated from B.M.C. Durfee High School as Class President and Valedictorian in 1949, went to Harvard College (1953) - graduating Summa Cum Laude - then on to Harvard Law School from which he graduated in 1956. While an undergraduate, he won the Bowdoin Prize, (est. 1791) an award designed to recognize essays of high literary merit, sharing the honor with notable past winners, philosopher Ralph Waldo Emerson and novelist John Updike.
Upon the death of his father, he returned to Fall River where he had a successful practice for the remainder of his working life, only retiring at age 86, but continuing to advise devoted clients until his death.
He enjoyed traveling with Jeanne, taking memorable trips abroad with lifelong friends, the late Dr Richard and Betty Fitton - a cruise to the Black Sea and Odessa, a road trip through southern France. …a trip to California to see his grandson or to take his grandson for a holiday in Bermuda.
He was an avid tennis player throughout his life but two memorable achievements on the basketball floor stand out:
Winning the New England High School Basketball Championship with his Durfee High teammates in 1948 at the Boston Garden, and “the Shot.”
The Shot
Lexington and Concord was the shot heard round the world, but in 1948 the shot that rocked New England came as a buzzer beater in the Boston Garden. “Pete” shot from deep in the corner, sinking the jumper as time ran out, sending the semi-final game into overtime, during which he and his teammates won the game in overtime; they went on to win the Championship game that followed, (beating Hillhouse of Connecticut 41-30.) This was Durfee's first undefeated team through both the regular season and regional championship playoffs.
For decades after, people would speak of “the Shot,” remembering it as winning the Championship. Peter would humbly remind them of the true sequence, but, falling on deaf ears, they invariably remembered it as the shot that won it all. He was always quick to give much of the credit to his star teammates, Durfee greats: Joe Andrews, Andy Farrissey, Jackie Brenner, and Stan Sinkowski, among others.
Peter was active in civic affairs throughout his life and career. He served many administrations in Fall River, including as Licensing Board Chairman (1963-67), Port Authority Chairman (1972-77) and President of the Fall River Line Pier (1972-77). He was a past president of the Fall River Bar Association and once argued a case before the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. He received the Distinguished Alumni Award during the Scholarship ceremony in 1997. For several years, he was the Secretary on the Board of Directors at the Acoaxet Country Club, providing legal insight and solutions to the challenges that inevitably arose.
He was a founding member of the Somerset-based Slades Ferry Trust Company, (now Rockland Trust Bank). Together with business and community leaders of the time, he established the bank in 1959 with one branch, steering its expansion as both Legal Counsel and Secretary for the entire span of the independent Company, until it was acquired by Rockland Trust in 2008. By the time of the sale, the Bank had grown to 138 employees, many branches throughout the region, and a capitalization over half a billion dollars. For those who remember, the SFB financed the great growth of Somerset during the 1960s and beyond, employing and supporting its sons and daughters for generations.
In the long list of selfless contributions, he gave to his beloved Fall River, and in particular to the High School that gave him his start, Peter held his work as the President of the Durfee Alumni Scholarship Committee highest in his affection.
For over 40 years, he presided over the small group of dedicated Durfee alumni who award annual scholarships to worthy graduates. Shepherding not just the procedure of interviews and awards, he quietly yet tirelessly raised money for the fund, reminding successful graduates where they got their start, offering them a way to keep their own legacy alive by giving a running start to each generation that follows.
In addition, he managed the Scholarship’s investment portfolio (with the excellent insights from his skilled advisor and great friend, Richard Wolfson), increasing the endowment nearly 15 fold from its original base, to over $16 million today. It is from this wealth, accumulated during his tenure, that Durfee students get help in fulfilling their dreams of higher education. He participated actively right up to this season's interviews and awards, finally handing the baton to his hard-working protege, The Honorable Claudine Cloutier.
In his humble fashion, he sought no ceremony in his honor, but a quiet remembrance for the family will be scheduled at a future date.
The family wishes to thank the kind attention and care provided to us by the South Coast Hospice and VNA workers who comforted him during his final days. Visits from many loyal friends including his Cousins Edythe and Tina, Tricia Day, T.D. Lamar, Tim Lifrak, John O'Neil, and others, buoyed his spirits.
He sought no donations, but in memory of his lifelong work on the Alumni Scholarships, any contribution to the Peter and Jeanne Collias Scholarship would be an appropriate honor.
To:
The Peter G. Collias and Jeanne B. Collias Scholarship.
℅ The Durfee High School Alumni Scholarship Foundation.
34 Middlesex Street
Fall River, Massachusetts 02723
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