A man of many hats, Collord dedicated countless hours and energy to making the town a better place to live. Among other things, he was instrumental in the development of several trails, a passionate naturalist and a lover of mankind. But most of all, he will be missed by those who knew him.

Friends and family celebrated Collord's life on May 16 at the Los Gatos Youth Park. Present were the Los Gatos­Monte Sereno Police Pipe and Drums as well as Boy Scout Troop 539.

Collord, 82, died peacefully on May 10 from complications following a massive stroke he suffered a year ago, which left him partially paralyzed and bedridden. He spent his last hours with close friends, overlooking the town at what some refer to as Collord's Peak from his home atop Nicholson Hill, which he and his late wife, Janice, named Paradise Found.

"Vic was somebody who belonged to everything and everybody," says MarLyn Rasmussen, the town's senior deputy clerk, who had known Collord for 36 years. "He was something special. There are few people like him."

Collord spent his life selflessly serving others, starting with the country. He was a sailor in the U.S. Navy and was aboard the USS California when Pearl Harbor was attacked. He had many stories to share, but told one in particular several times to friends, including Los Gatos High School science teacher Les Kischler.

According to Kischler, when the ship that Collord was on fell under attack, he found himself in the water trying to swim away from the flames. He saw a shipmate nearby seemingly struggling to stay afloat, so he handed him his lifesaver. He started swimming to shore, dodging bullets from a fighter plane flying toward him. Luckily, the plane ran out of bullets and Collord reached the shore safely.

When his military career ended in 1946, Collord went on to become a familiar face in the Los Gatos community. He was a reserve police officer for two years when the town had only one stop sign and when the first stoplight was installed. As a reserve officer, he patrolled the streets at night, making sure that everybody made it to their homes safe and sound.

"He loved that job," Rasmussen says. "But the funny thing is that he was the first one to run the red light. He just wasn't used to having it there."

A fan of Mother Nature and the great outdoors, Collord was also a founding member of the Los Gatos Trails and Bikeways Committee.

"He was proud of that committee and was very active in it," says Dolores Weins, a former secretary in the parks and public works department.

The Los Gatos Creek Trail probably wouldn't exist if not for Collord's persistence. According to Weins, he held a large role in creating the trail, recruiting community members to come out and clear the once-weed-infested easement.

"He kept it going until it became a reality," Weins said.

In addition, he played major roles in developing the Los Gatos Creek Footpath, the Novitiate Park Trail leading to St. Joseph Hill and the Bell Gatos Park Trail.

Collord's love for trails didn't stop there. According to former park supervisor Jim Sugai, he and Collord spent time maintaining each of the parks, trimming brush that stuck out into the trail and removing anything that may have been a safety hazard.

"He loved trails and spending time outdoors," Sugai said. "Every once in a while, we'd go on leisurely hikes together. I'll miss those."

Collord also helped create the Los Gatos Youth Park and served as a board member until 2001. Much like his involvement with the trails, Collord spent much of his time maintaining the facility.

"He would spend almost every weekend doing something on the park," Rasmussen said. "He would either be painting or watering the plants or removing the trees that fell after the storms. There was always something that needed to be done, and he was always there to take care of things."

In 2001, Collord started feeling the effects of his age and became limited in his physical abilities. But, that didn't stop him from being active in the community. Keeping the agricultural spirit alive in the town, he came up with the idea of having a town garden and convinced the principal of Los Gatos High School to allow one on campus. The principal granted the request, and a once-grassy field was converted to the Los Gatos Community Garden featuring 35 50-square-foot lots. Getting the community involved, Collord also started the Adopt-a-Garden program.

He passed his knowledge of the agricultural world onto students in Kischler's science class as a volunteer guest lecturer.

"He had an enthusiastic way of teaching and a rich knowledge of agriculture," Kischler said. "He was very gregarious and supportive of the students. He was always quick to smile."

He was also a philanthropist, donating to nonprofit organizations like Natures Conservatory and the Los Gatos Community Foundation. Through the foundation, he set up the Vic Collord Scholarship Fund for students interested in horticulture and agriculture.

"He was an extremely giving and caring person," Rasmussen said. "He has a box full of thank-you letters from those whose lives he touched."

Weins, who always looked forward to seeing Collord every time he stopped by to give all the secretaries roses and tomatoes from his garden, added, "He was a shining star in the community."

Collord has undoubtedly left several footprints in the community.

Collord is survived by his sister, Margaret Brady; his nephews William, Timothy and Paul Brady; his niece, Nancy Inucci; and his stepdaughter, Jan Webber.

Donations in honor of Collord can be sent to the Los Gatos Community Foundation, P.O. Box 1089, Los Gatos, 95030. Funds can be designated to either the Vic Collord Scholarship Fund or to the plaque and bench project.