William Michael “Bill” Collins, 93, of Lawrence, Kansas, died Monday, December 28, 2015 at Lawrence Memorial Hospital after a short illness. His family was at his side.
Bill was born in Abilene, Kansas, on October 21 in 1922, the son of William James and Catherine, (Dore) Collins. He graduated from Emporia High School. He served in Italy with the Army Air Corps during World War II, returning after the war to attend the University of Kansas and Emporia State University, where he met and captured the heart of Patti James.
Bill married Patricia L. James in Emporia on June 8 1948. They lived 64 devoted years together. He was a strong, supportive husband and father, a gracious, kind and dignified man who was always there to help anyone in need.
Bill’s other lifelong passion was the game of golf. He followed the great professionals of his day attending many PGA tournaments, including the Masters where he met his hero, the legendary golfer Bobby Jones.
Surviving family members include his daughter, Jean (Richard) Standard of Sonoma, California; and sons, Bill (Annette) Collins of Lawrence, and Kevin (Florence) Collins of Zurich, Switzerland. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Arthur, Alice, and Juliette Collins, Zurich; Jenna and Sarah Collins, Katie (Collins) Baxter and husband Dan, Lawrence; and Eli, Grady, Annie, Justin (Lorena) Standard, and great-grandson, Sam Standard, all of California.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Patti; his sister, Margaret Brown; and his parents, William and Catherine Collins, who were of Emporia.
While in Kansas, Bill worked for Southwestern Bell, Didde-Glaser, and ultimately opened a Volkswagen dealership in Emporia. He moved the family to San Francisco in 1973 after accepting an appointment to the Commerce Department from Senator Bob Dole, where he worked until retirement.
After retirement Bill and Patti traveled the world until her death in 2012. Recently, Bill moved back to his home state of Kansas.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Emporia, on Monday, January 4, 2016. The Rosary will be recited at 10:30 A.M., and Mass at 11:00 A.M. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Emporia.
The family requests no flowers. Contributions to KANU Public Radio may be sent in care of the funeral home.
Our family would like to express gratitude for the kind, gentle and professional care Bill received at Brandon Woods and Lawrence Memorial Hospital. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William M. "Bill" Collins, please visit our flower store.
Bill was born in Abilene, Kansas, on October 21 in 1922, the son of William James and Catherine, (Dore) Collins. He graduated from Emporia High School. He served in Italy with the Army Air Corps during World War II, returning after the war to attend the University of Kansas and Emporia State University, where he met and captured the heart of Patti James.
Bill married Patricia L. James in Emporia on June 8 1948. They lived 64 devoted years together. He was a strong, supportive husband and father, a gracious, kind and dignified man who was always there to help anyone in need.
Bill’s other lifelong passion was the game of golf. He followed the great professionals of his day attending many PGA tournaments, including the Masters where he met his hero, the legendary golfer Bobby Jones.
Surviving family members include his daughter, Jean (Richard) Standard of Sonoma, California; and sons, Bill (Annette) Collins of Lawrence, and Kevin (Florence) Collins of Zurich, Switzerland. He is also survived by his grandchildren, Arthur, Alice, and Juliette Collins, Zurich; Jenna and Sarah Collins, Katie (Collins) Baxter and husband Dan, Lawrence; and Eli, Grady, Annie, Justin (Lorena) Standard, and great-grandson, Sam Standard, all of California.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Patti; his sister, Margaret Brown; and his parents, William and Catherine Collins, who were of Emporia.
While in Kansas, Bill worked for Southwestern Bell, Didde-Glaser, and ultimately opened a Volkswagen dealership in Emporia. He moved the family to San Francisco in 1973 after accepting an appointment to the Commerce Department from Senator Bob Dole, where he worked until retirement.
After retirement Bill and Patti traveled the world until her death in 2012. Recently, Bill moved back to his home state of Kansas.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Emporia, on Monday, January 4, 2016. The Rosary will be recited at 10:30 A.M., and Mass at 11:00 A.M. Interment will follow in Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery, Emporia.
The family requests no flowers. Contributions to KANU Public Radio may be sent in care of the funeral home.
Our family would like to express gratitude for the kind, gentle and professional care Bill received at Brandon Woods and Lawrence Memorial Hospital. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of William M. "Bill" Collins, please visit our flower store.
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