LTC Francis Chandler Collins, 71, passed away Tuesday, May 5, after a brief but severe respiratory illness. Collins was born in Columbia, South Carolina to the late Francis Benson Collins and Elizabeth Chandler Collins. Upon his graduation from Dreher High School, he attended the Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina, where he graduated with a B.S. degree in Civil Engineering and a commission in the United States Army in 1960. Collins served in Air Defense Artillery for nearly 24 years, including assignments in Oklahoma, Illinois, Georgia, Vietnam, Korea, Texas, Kansas, and Germany, where he met his wife of 43 years, Martha. In 1975, he was stationed with NORAD in Colorado Springs, where he would spend the rest of his life. He retired from service in 1984; during his military career he earned many awards and citations, including his parachutist badge, three Air Medals, and the Bronze Star. After his retirement from the Army, Collins was employed for nine years as a systems engineer and project manager for Aerojet ElectroSystems. He fully retired in 1993. In retirement, Collins remained active in the community. For many years, he was active in the Pikes Peak Council, Boy Scouts of America, where he was nominated and awarded Vigil honors in the Order of the Arrow, was a Woodbadge Scoutmaster, and was awarded the Silver Beaver. Collins and his wife are enthusiastic members of Austin Bluffs Sertoma, Collins serving as club president from 2005-06. “Frank,” as he was known, was an avid outdoorsman who loved to hunt and fish wherever he found himself. He later passed on this love to his dear grandchildren. Collins was blessed to have a large number of friends and a loving family. LTC Collins is survived by his wife, Martha; his three children, Steven, Christopher, and Kathryn; his daughter-in-law, Karen (Foley); and his two grandchildren, David and Kestrel. A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00pm, Monday, May 11, at St. Paul’s United Methodist Church, 2111 Carlton Ave., Colorado Springs. Visitation will take place from 12:00-4:00pm, Sunday, May 10, at Swan-Law Funeral Directors.. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations in the name of Francis Collins be made to the Pikes Peak Council Boy Scouts of America, 985 W. Fillmore St., Colorado Springs, 80907, H.E.A.R.S., 965 W. Monument St., Colorado Springs, 80905, or to a charity of individual choice. Tags: 1960
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