Charles Collis ’37 Passes

Collis will be remembered and missed sorely by the College.

Charles Collis ‘37, a native of Massachusetts and later a resident of Rhode Island, passed away on May 6th at his home in Barrington.

After completing an economic major at Dartmouth, Collis founded the College Athletic Shoe Co. in Taunton, Massachusetts soon after graduation.  In 1942, Collis became the co-owner of Armor Bronze and Silver Company, an international organization also based in Taunton. After twenty-two years of Collis’s leadership, the organization became the largest manufacturer of copper and glass giftware worldwide.

Moreover, Collis is known for his individual ownership of Princess House, Inc., a company that initially worked out of a modified chicken coop and later became the biggest producer of hand-blown glassware worldwide.

Collis was also a generous supporter of Dartmouth College. His gift of five million dollars was the biggest in College history at the time and part of Dartmouth’s five-year fundraising campaign. This donation endowed a series of scholarships and resulted in the eponymous student center that many current students enjoy to this day. Collis also at one point served as a member of the special advisory committee to the President of the College. In addition to Dartmouth, Charles Collis directed his philanthropy towards early childhood education initiatives, medicine, and programs for the poor.

The Review wishes to convey our condolences to the friends and family of this exceptional alumnus. His presence will sorely be missed.