James Marion Collins was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, on November 16, 1921, the only child of Bertha (Huron) and James Collins. He grew up in Little Rock and graduated with honors from Gulf Coast Military Academy (high school), Gulfport, Mississippi. He attended The Citadel, Charleston, South Carolina, and was scheduled to be the Cadet Captain (top cadet) in the Class of 1944. A year before graduating the Class of 1944 volunteered for duty in World War II. Following Army basic training he completed Army Officer Candidate School at FT Benning, Georgia, and was commissioned Infantry. Lieutenant Collins led Soldiers in European combat (I Company, 260th Infantry Regiment, 65th Infantry Division) as part of General George Patton¹s 3rd US Army. India Company received campaign credit for the Rhineland and Central European Campaigns. Collins finished World War II in that unit as the Rifle Company Commander. Jim¹s love of Arkansas led him to return following WW II where he married Mary Lucille Archer in May, 1946. Following completion of his Bachelor¹s degree at the Citadel in 1946, he attended graduate school at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Jim and Mary settled in Little Rock where they raised two children. Jim¹s skills and interests in the real estate brokerage, independent insurance brokerage, and homebuilding fields resulted in establishment of Collins Realty, Inc. in 1949. He served as President both of Collins Realty, Inc. and of USA Homes, Inc. which he operated in Little Rock until his retirement in 2006. Throughout his vocational life, Jim served as a member, board member, and often Chair or President of a variety of industry, religious and charitable associations. These included local affiliates of the National Association of Realtors, National Association of Homebuilders, Chambers of Commerce, Lions International, Rotary International, Masonic Order, and Muscular Dystrophy Association as well as Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church. Collins maintained affiliation with the US Army Reserve where he served in both unit assignments and individual mobilization augmentee roles. From 1959 through 1974 Colonel Collins served on the Army General Staff, Headquarters, Department of the Army, The Pentagon, Washington, DC. His military awards included the Combat Infantryman¹s Badge, the Good Conduct Medal, the Bronze Star, and the Meritorious Service Medal. Jim Collins¹ family commitments included raising two sons, James M. Collins, Jr, and Dr. Charles M. Collins. Jimmy is a retired Major General from the US Army and a retired Vice President from the Weyerhaeuser Company. He and his wife, Linda (Robinson), live in Steilacoom, Washington, and have two children, Andrew (Julia) and Lauren both of the Tacoma area. Andrew and Julia have two children, Claire and Noah. Dr. Charley Collins is a retired Captain from the US Navy and an Ophthalmologist in Middletown, Rhode Island. He and his wife, Sheila (Kissane), live in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and have four children: Michael of Newport, RI; Corey of Miami, FL; Conor of New Haven, CT; and, Katie of West Point, NY. Jim and Mary were particularly proud of their family which developed over their sixty-five years of marriage. Jim and Mary Collins relocated to DuPont, Washington, in October 2009, to be closer to family. He and Mary enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren, as well as new friends in the Patriots Landing retirement community. One of Jim¹s favorite Pacific Northwest activities was an occasional meal with family at Southern Kitchen Restaurant in Tacoma. James M. Collins passed away on April 7, 2011, at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington after a brief illness. A memorial ceremony will be held at 11:00 am Friday, April 15th, at Patriots Landing, 1600 Marshall Circle, DuPont, WA 98327. Funeral will be held on Thursday, April 21st at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church, 4823 Woodlawn Drive, Little Rock, AR 72205. Visitation will be at 1:00 pm in the Sanctuary and the funeral will begin at 2:00 pm. Interment will be in Roselawn Cemetery in Little Rock. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church Foundation (www.phumc.com) , or Madigan Army Medical Center Foundation (www.madiganfoundation.org). Tags: 1944
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