- Date Of Birth: February 3, 1949
- Date Of Death: October 30, 2020
- State: Kentucky
Collin Ainsworth Parkinson was born February 3, 1949 to Allan Eric Parkinson and Agnes Viola Parkinson (both deceased) in Kwakwani, Berbice, Guyana, South America. The third in a family of nine children, which included eight boys and one girl, he was a special child. In fact, at his birth his mother felt impressed to lay her hand on his head and declare that he was her “pastor” son. As he grew, his father saw a difference in him also, often declaring Collin was his “best” child.
Collin lost his mother at the tender age of six. When his father remarried, he was fortunate to gain five additional sisters and two stepsisters, expanding his family even more. As a child, he and his siblings had the opportunity to live in various regions of Guyana because of their father’s work as a bauxite (ore) analyst. Thus, he was deemed a “true” son of the soil.
He was educated in elementary schools across the region, concluding in Linden, the bauxite mining town. Collin then completed his secondary education at Mackenzie High School in Linden.
Collin’s personal mission and career objective was to train and prepare a people to meet the Lord at His second coming. And this was demonstrated throughout his life.
Eventually, he matriculated to Caribbean Union College in Trinidad, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in Theology in 1975. He then served as a ministerial worker in Guyana for the next 10 years.
In 1986 Collin married his first wife, Marcia, in Guyana. To this union was born one daughter, Blossom.
While working for the Northeastern Conference, he served as a teacher and/or principal for 10 years. Then in 1996, Collin accepted the call for a teaching/administrative position with the Education Department of the Allegheny West Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. For many years he served as a beloved conference administrator, educator, and principal across Allegheny West, including at Shiloh Preparatory School in Cincinnati, OH and Ramah Junior Academy in Cleveland, OH. Hundreds of students benefitted under his tutelage. During this time, he also earned his professional teaching certification from the Columbia Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.
While working in Cincinnati, he met Vellier Rembert Walker. In 2004 they married in Cleveland, OH. Together they raised Blossom and shepherded the Present Truth congregation.
On September 23, 2007, the Allegheny West Conference Executive Committee voted that he be designated a full-time ministerial worker, as well as assigned the position of Education Superintendent of the conference. He also served as Prayer Ministries Director for the Conference. It was fitting that he should be ordained. Thus, on June 27, 2008 at the Allegheny West Conference campground, he was.
May Collin rest until Jesus returns to call us home.
