07/29/2026
Dr. John Alex Collier, 55, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family on July 27, 2026, after an aggressive battle with rare, metastatic cancer. Born on February 18, 1971, John lived a life rooted in family, service, faith, and hard work. For more than three decades he dedicated himself to caring for others through dentistry. He proudly owned and operated Collier Dental, serving the Oxford-Lafayette community for 29 years and the Pontotoc community for 14 years assisted by his faithful and beloved wife, Dr. Larissa Hammer Collier.
He is survived by Larissa Hammer Collier; his children, Alexandra "Ally" Collier (29) and fiancé, Grant, John Trenton "Trent" Collier (25), Luke Alexander Hammer (20) and wife Jennifer, Jude Wayne Hammer (16), Lexi Jo Hammer (14), JannaMae Eve Collier (6), and Jeb Lincoln Collier (4), and extended family members. He was preceded in death by his parents, Melvin Douglas Collier Jr and Mae Lois Collier from Ruleville, MS; and grandmother Mildred Evelyn Collier, along with other dear relatives.
John was a devoted husband and a proud father whose greatest accomplishments were found not in awards, but in the lives of his children. Nothing brought him greater joy than his family. He cherished every opportunity to remind them how proud he was of each of them. John enjoyed his time with them all, whether working on his farm, sharing stories with his infectious laughter, traveling to barbecue competitions, cheering on Ole Miss, or simply savoring life's everyday moments together.
To his employees and patients, he was much more than a dentist— he was a friend who wholeheartedly cared about their lives. He had a gift for making others feel comfortable, often easing nerves with one of his many jokes and leaving people smiling long before they left his chair.
Although his time with us was far too short, John's legacy will fiercely live on in the family he loved, the friends he stuck by, the employees and patients he served, and the countless lives he touched. His family finds comfort in knowing that while they grieve his absence, he is pain-free and home with the Lord. They celebrate a life that was lived with purpose, integrity, and love. His constant smile, his laughter, his stories, his jokes, and the way that he drew his family closer together will forever remain in the hearts of all who knew him.
The family will receive friends for visitation on Friday, July 31, 2026, from 9:00 AM until 11:00 AM at West Heights Baptist Church in Pontotoc, Mississippi. A funeral service will follow at 11:00 AM, with burial immediately afterward at the church cemetery.
