Steve Collins

STEVE COLLINS Tupelo - Richard Stephen Collins, 71, died Sunday, November 4, 2012, at Sanctuary Hospice House. He was born September 25, 1941 in West Grove, Pennsylvania to Joseph Cecil and Pauline Parsons Collins. He was a retired veteran of the United States Air Force during the Vietnam Conflict. A 1977 graduate of Middle Tennessee State University, he also retired from the National Park Service. He was an avid reader and loved spending time with his family and grandchildren. He enjoyed wood crafting, especially bird houses and writing children's stories. He was a member of Belden Baptist Church. Services will be 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, November 6, 2012 at The Jefferson Street Chapel of W. E. Pegues with Rev. Jim Holcomb and Wade Collins officiating. Burial will be in Tupelo Memorial Park. W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors will be in charge of the arrangements. Survivors include his wife of forty-nine years, Cheryl P. Collins; three sons, Wade Collins (Kim) of North Wilkesboro, North Carolina, Jody Collins (Terri) of Graham, Texas and Shane Collins (Sarah) of San Diego, California; one daughter, Michelle Powers (Ervin) of Poquoson, Virginia; thirteen grandchildren, Taylor, Tory, Lindsay, Heather, Ty, Caitlin, Chandler, Matthew, Elana, Emma, Elizabeth, Cora and John Bruce; two great-grandchildren, Addison and Baylee; two sisters, Virginia Cox (Alvin) of Independence, Virginia and Kay Disher of Kernersville, North Carolina; two brothers, Alan Collins (Linda) of Bennettsville, South Carolina and Joe Collins of Bennettsville, South Carolina; his mother, Pauline Collins of Bennettsville, South Carolina. He was preceded in death by his father. Pallbearers will be Tory and Ty Collins, Matthew and Ervin Powers and Earl Dry. Honorary pallbearers will be the members of Bill Yarbrough's Sunday School Class. Visitation will be 5 to 8:00 p.m. Monday, November 5, 2012 at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Sanctuary Hospice House, PO Box 2177, Tupelo, MS 38803.