Grover Thomas Collins

Grover Thomas Tom Collins, 98, passed away Friday, April 12, 2013. He was born in 1915 in Mexia, Texas, to Zelda Tooke Collins and Grover Cleveland Collins.

Tom grew up on a farm and spent his boyhood years working the farm, hunting, and fishing. As an adventurous teenager he traveled across Texas by riding on the top of passing trains. As a young adult he joined the Civil Conservation Corp and worked in construction projects on Goose Island. Later he worked as a roustabout in the East Texas oil fields. At the start of WW II he joined the Navy and served with the Seabees in the Aleutian Islands off the coast of Alaska. He reached the rank of Chief Carpenters Mate. Following the war he took a position as a meteorologist with the U.S. Weather Bureau. While working at the Brownsville airport, he acquired his pilot license.

In 1949, while dancing at the Drive Inn Restaurant in Matamoros, Tom met the love of his life, Courtenay Slack. She passed on in 2008. Their children include Janet Slack Malan, Douglas Cheryl Collins,, Marylyn Collins Ponder, and Tom Paula Collins, Jr. Grandchildren include: Richard McEuen, Robert Jennifer McEuen, David McEuen, Kevin Mindy McEuen, Desiree Craig Donaldson, Cliff Michelle Ponder, Lauren Collins, and Leigh Eric Nyberg. Greatgrandchildren include: Amber Fults, Maryann Duncan, Ian Duncan, Bennett Ponder, Brandon Ponder, Brooks Ponder, Talon Nyberg, and Serenity Donaldson. Tom participated in his childrens activities as baseball coach, Boy Scout leader, swim team volunteer, and Future Farmers of America parent assistant.

In the late sixties and early seventies Tom was the voice of the weatherman daily reports on KBOR radio. After 30 years, he retired from the Weather Bureau. He worked in real estate for five years and then decided to concentrate on fishing.

Tom followed in the path of his ancestors by joining the Masons in 1948. He was honored to serve as Worshipful Master of the Brownsville Masonic Lodge in 1989.

The family would like to especially thank Dante de la Garza for his caring and cheerful assistance.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, May 4, at three oclock at Sunnyside, 1914 N. Coria St.