Barry Walter Collins

Barry Collins passed away on July 31, 2022 in Sacramento, CA with his wife and daughter by his side.

Barry was born in Glendale, California to Velma and Marshall Collins.  He grew up in Burbank, California where he began surfing (and sometimes attended Burbank High School).  He continued his studies at San Diego State University (because he could surf there), graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and then went on to Cal Poly Humboldt completing a Master’s degree in Fisheries Biology.

His career began in 1976 working as a biologist for California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) on the East Walker River.  But he shortly found himself in the California Delta working on the Striped Bass Study tagging stripers, documenting harvest rates, and doing population estimates.  He also supervised the Fish Facilities Program and the Fish Salvage Operations staff at the Skinner Delta Fish Protective Facility.

Barry met his wife, Judy Tengbom, when she worked for him as a fisheries technician.  They were married in 1979 beginning 43 years of adventures and life together.  When Barry was not working, their family spent time on the Delta islands hunting ducks or camping in the Sierras.  He passed his passion of the outdoors onto his son, Reed Collins, teaching him how to fly-fish and tie flies, how to set up a backcountry camp, and how to select the best surf waves; these are all pastimes Reed still enjoys today.

In 1991, Barry and his family decided to move from Stockton to Humboldt County where Barry continued his career at CDFW working on the Natural Stocks Assessment Project; he then moved into the Fisheries Restoration Grant Program that supported salmon and steelhead habitat restoration projects up and down the northern California coast.  During these years on “take your daughter to work day” he brought his daughter, Alison Collins, out to count juvenile Chinook salmon and steelhead in the local rotary screw traps.  This sparked her interest in fisheries and led her to pursue a career as a fisheries biologist.  Today she works in the California Delta on many of the same projects that her father worked on.

Barry had so many different passions during his life.  He most enjoyed backpacking and fly fishing in mountain streams.  He loved duck hunting and trap and skeet shooting.  He enjoyed delta blues and played the guitar and mandolin. He loved taking and developing his own photographs, especially black and white photography.  He was a surfer in southern California and a golfer in northern California.  He studied astronomy and was building his own telescope.  There were many nights spent with family and friends looking at the stars and identifying the constellations and galaxies.  He also had a passion for baking bread and we will always remember his delicious focaccia.  Thank you, Barry, for enriching our lives in so many ways.

Barry is remembered by his colleagues and friends as a good person, an inquisitive scientist, fun to be around, direct but constructive, possessing a witty dry sense of humor, and one who was committed to seeing salmonid restoration projects implemented.  Memories being shared by friends and peers have created a beautiful tribute to a man that made an impact on so many people in his life.

Special thanks to friends and caregivers who helped Barry live his best life including Corey, Dusty, Kyle, Doreen, Leonard, Cadine, Shaquille and Adult Day Health Care of Mad River.

Barry was preceded in death by his father, Marshall Collins, and mother, Velma Collins.

Celebrating his life are his beloved wife, Judith Tengbom, his daughter Alison Collins (Corey Phillis and granddaughter Kira), his son, Reed Collins (Sally), his brothers, Fred Collins and Ray Collins and nephews Brian Collins (Chandra), David Collins and John Collins and their families.

Friends are invited to a celebration of Barry’s life at Humboldt Unitarian Fellowship located at 24 Fellowship Way, Bayside, CA on October 8, 2022 from 2-4 p.m.

Should friends desire, contributions in memory of Barry may be sent to the North Coast Regional Land Trust, P.O. Box 398, Bayside, CA 95524 or online at:

https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/weblink.aspx?name=E343584&id=1

If you’d like to share a story or memory about Barry, please email these to his daughter, Alison Collins at [email protected] She will be collecting these into a book to celebrate his life.