Denis Collins

MADISON - Denis Collins— beloved husband, father, son, brother, teacher, student, mentor, and friend—passed away on February 25th, 2021, at home and embraced by his loved ones.

He was born on January 12, 1956, in the Bronx, New York, to Walter J. “Buddy” Collins and Gloria Filippelli. They raised him in Carlstadt, NJ, along with his sisters Doreen and Donna. In 1984, he married his soulmate Dianne Jenkins, and they traveled a wonderful 36-year journey together, joined by their children Seth and Anna.

Denis graduated from Montclair State College in 1977. After a short stint in corporate management, he headed to San Francisco, and began a period of spiritual exploration that led him to seminary, where he met Dianne. Denis dedicated himself to building a just and compassionate world, which he expressed through the lens of business ethics. He found inspiration in his father’s working-class roots, his childhood parish priest (Franciscan Father Mychal Judge), and his own early work experiences.

Denis earned his PhD in Business Environment and Public Policy from the University of Pittsburgh. He began his academic career in 1990 at the University of Wisconsin–Madison School of Business and completed it at Edgewood College. Over the course of his career, he became an internationally respected and widely published scholar, won numerous teaching awards, and served on the boards of business ethics journals and professional associations. At the time of his death, he was Professor Emeritus at Edgewood College School of Business and Visiting Professor at UW-Madison.

Denis shared his passion for service and meaningful work with his students: their first assignment was to serve at the Luke House and write about their experiences, and their last was an essay on the purpose of life. A practical idealist, he was always happy to meet with someone curious about his work or grappling with an ethical dilemma.

After beating terminal cancer and a six-month prognosis in 1995, Denis considered the final third of his life his “bonus days.” He was ultimately a six-time cancer survivor, but the long-term effects of his treatments took their toll.

Denis treasured the gift of seeing his children grow up to be amazing individuals. He deeply appreciated spending his final year co-authoring a book with Seth. He loved to show Anna the humor in life, and pushed her to think critically, always with sweets on hand. Denis was a devout meditator and loved to read. He could often be found sitting serenely in the side yard accompanied by a book and one of the family’s pets, serving as a reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment.

Denis was preceded in death by his father Buddy, father-in-law William Jenkins, and sister-in-law Donna Sweet. He is survived by Dianne, Seth and Anna. He is further survived by his mother, Gloria, sister Doreen (Nick) Pino; sister Donna (Joey) Hennessy; niece Gina (Dave) Ferrara; and nephew Dan (Lauren Mihalik) Piazza; and by mother-in-law Alice Jenkins, brothers-in-law Mike Jenkins, Daryl (Kathleen) Jenkins, Mark Jenkins, Ryan (Tracy) Jenkins and Carl Jenkins; and sisters-in-law Sue Jenkins, Karen Jenkins, Teresa (John) Barteau, Kate (Mark) Hurley, and extended family members.

A celebration of life will be held later this year, once we may gather safely. If you'd like to be notified when these plans are formed, please click here . Memorials may be made to Madison's Luke House or your local Boys and Girls Club.

Livestreaming of Denis' celebration of life can be found here , and will be broadcast on June 13th beginning at 2pm.

The family is deeply grateful for the compassionate, kind and respectful care provided to Denis by Drs. Tom Shiffler, Chris Saddler, and Toby Campbell and their staff; Neuhauser Pharmacist Peg Breuer; and Denis’ support team at Agrace Hospice.