Robert Thomas Collier, Jr. passed peacefully on July 1, 2020, from a cancer related illness. He was a long time resident of Austin, Texas. He is survived by his mother Claire Brechtel Collier of Beaumont, his three sisters, Lynne Womble (Bob) of Oklahoma City, Anne Addcox (Jim) of The Woodlands, Jane Moorman (Craig) of McKinney, his brother, Scott Collier (Lisa) of Baton Rouge, and thirteen nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his father, Robert Thomas Collier, Sr. and his nephew Robert Tyson Womble. He was Tom Collier to his friends and co-workers. To his childhood friends and family, he was always known as "Tommy."

He was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on October 3, 1951.  In 1964, his family moved to Beaumont, Texas, where he graduated from Forest Park High School in 1970.

Tom Collier had the heart of a teacher. He graduated from North Texas University with a B.S. degree in Industrial Arts. His teaching career began at North Dallas High School in Dallas, Texas. In 1988 he moved to Austin and taught at Westlake High School. During that time, he became technology coordinator for the Eanes ISD, a position he held for 18 years. He was twice named teacher of the year.

In 2006, he retired from education and furthered his interest in technology. That interest led him to Austin Community College and a certification in Fiber Optics. In 2015, he returned to teaching and was currently working as a special education teacher in Taylor ISD. Before his illness, he planned to retire following the upcoming school year.

Tom Collier was the definition of a people person. In fact, his love for technology was only surpassed by his love for people. Who you were never mattered. He would get to know you, if you let him.

A onetime Dallas Cowboys fan, he became a devoted Green Bay Packers fan in the 90's. He loved the fact that the Green Bay Packers were owned by the fans themselves. He learned to sail when he moved to Austin and enjoyed sailing on Lake Travis. He would later become an avid country and western dancer and was an active member of the Solid Chrome dancing community. Nearly every Tuesday night was dedicated to dancing at the Broken Spoke, a local dance hall in Austin, Texas.

Donations can be made in Tom's memory to The Autism Society of Texas, Classical KMFA 89.5, or the charity of your choice.