Just about anywhere you look in Carroll County, there is a reminder of the service and contributions Avis Collier made to his community.

Collier, 81, passed away Oct. 21, but his long lasting impression will never be forgotten by the community he continually sought to make better. As a four-term member of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors, Collier held public office from 1983-1999. He also served on the Carroll County School Board and was a founding committee member of the current Twin County Regional Healthcare Hospital as well as a founding member of the Dugspur Rescue Squad.

His name is on the plaque inside the Carroll County Governmental Complex, Carroll County High School, and five renovated schools throughout the county.

Current school board member Harold T. Golding worked with Collier during his 16-year tenure on the Carroll County Board of Supervisors. Golding said Collier was pro-education, but his influence in the county ran much deeper than that.

“He didn’t just think about politics, he thought about the county and the welfare and the well-being of the people in the county,” Golding said.

Former Carroll County Supervisor Bob Martin served with Collier on the board. Being a Republican, it would be natural if Martin weren’t able to see eye-to-eye with Collier, a Democrat in a strong Republican county. But Martin said nothing could be further from the truth in regard to his former colleague.

“I have nothing but respect for Avis. It is sad but the truth, but I always was able to work with Avis many times better than I could with the Republicans on the board with me. Avis and I looked at things a lot alike,” Martin said. “I think he had the best interests of the county in mind, and I always found Avis receptive to anything to help the county. Even if it wasn’t in his district, if he thought it would help the county, Avis would support it.”

Martin also remembers the vision Collier had to move Carroll County forward, noting that he supported water and sewer projects in the county as he served on the board to make the applications for the first water projects in the county and the county’s initial 911 committee. Collier was also behind the construction of Carroll County High School as well as the first two phases of the renovation and reconstruction of the county’s elementary schools.

“Avis was a man of vision. He had the ability to see how things would go in the future and how they needed to be done. He is a man the county will miss. His name and imprint will be on the county and county projects for a long time,” Martin said. “I am a better person because I served on the board with Avis. He lots of times reinforced my belief in government, that good ultimately trumps evil. I hope when I’m gone that I’ll be remembered as well and respected as well as Avis.”

While his footprint left an indelible image on Carroll County, Collier had a particular love for his community of Dugspur. Many there knew him for his service on the Dugspur Rescue Squad and for his service station, Collier’s Store, which is now Dugspur Deli Mart. One of Collier’s three daughters, Debbie Goad, remembers how her father would often lock up the store so he could run a call for Dugspur Rescue Squad, often receiving the yearly award for answering the most rescue squad calls. She also remembers how he would often give food to needy families who came into his store, often writing down their accounts fully knowing he’d never be paid.

“He knew they wouldn’t have food otherwise. I think my dad’s childhood experiences molded the man he became. He told of his family losing everything in the Great Depression, and that they even came and took the children’s beds. A little later, still as a young child, he lost his mother. These experiences would make some people hard-hearted and tight-fisted, but I think it gave my dad an empathy for hurting families and needy families,” Goad said. “Even though he didn’t have much, my dad helped many needy families over the course of his lifetime. He had a big heart, a heart of gold. His heart was especially big for children.”

Carroll County attorney Joe McGrady remembers Collier being so respected throughout Carroll County that his first bid for Supervisor At-Large in 1973 ended in a virtual tie with Charles Hawks. McGrady said the election was so close, a trial was held before a three-judge panel in Carroll County courts.

“We proved enough irregularity that they threw it out and Judge Matthews appointed a Republican,” McGrady said. “After that Avis won and served for years. That shows how much he was respected in Carroll County.”

But aside from his contributions to Carroll County in political, educational, and emergency service arenas, Collier was perhaps best known for his kind demeanor.

“He was a gentleman on the board of supervisors. I don’t ever recall Avis having an unkind word for anybody,” Martin said. “Yes, he disagreed with other supervisors as others do, but even in disagreement, you never heard him use a bad word.”

Golding agreed, saying Collier always went the extra mile to see what was needed.

“He was a good guy, a favorite of Dugspur, and I think, legendary and an anchor that held that community together. I always felt he was an institution in Dugspur. He used to laugh at it when I would say that, but he was a good man,” Golding said. “He was a good family man, he did a lot for the community of Dugspur, and just an outstanding person.”

Those thoughts were echoed throughout the community as word of his passing spread last week.

“He was a good supervisor, but also a fine person,” said Sam Dickson, Chairman of the Carroll County Board of Supervisors. “He was a good businessman and a friend of mine that will be very much missed.”

“Avis was just a very kind gentleman,” added Jonathan McGrady. “He was always very giving of his time and resources, and an extremely loyal Democrat.”