William ("Bill") Curtis Collins

William Curtis “Bill” Collins, 90, of Taylor, passed away at The Cottages at Chandler Creek in Round Rock on August 21, 2016.

Bill was born on February 9, 1926 near Bronson, Kansas, the youngest of two children of Will and Bernice (Thompson) Collins. He was born at home, attended a one room school, and graduated from high school in a class of sixteen. Knowing that farm life wasn’t for him, he joined the Army and shipped out to the Philippines in June, 1945. After completing military service, he met Margie Collins and they were married in December, 1947. His military service ensured that he could pursue a business degree and he graduated from the University of Kansas in August, 1950.

He worked as an accountant, an FBI Agent, in security for Gulf Oil, and he and Margie owned a real estate office in Houston. A successful businessperson, Bill also enjoyed hunting, fishing, and home projects. His talents included wood carving, furniture building, and oil painting. He restored a Texas Victorian home in Brenham and built a log cabin in Structure, hammering thousands of 12” spikes by hand.

Travel was in Bill’s blood and he and Margie traveled behind the Iron Curtain on the Trans-Siberian Express, drove through New Zealand, Europe, Mexico and Africa and drove from Texas to Fairbanks, Alaska. They cruised through the Panama Canal and the fjords in Norway and Chile.

Bill is survived by his daughter, Charlotte Herron of Taylor, and sons Scott Collins of Fayetteville, Arkansas and Jim Collins and wife Maxine of Helena, Montana. Also surviving are seven grandsons and thirteen great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife of nearly 68 years, Margie Collins, his parents and his brother Truman.

At Bill’s request there will be no services. Interment of his ashes will be at a later date in the family plot in Parsons, Kansas.