Cornelius “Bud” Collins, age 91, of Greenville passed away on January 21, 2012 at Hunt Regional Medical Center. Services will be held at 10:00 AM Saturday at Coker-Mathews Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Mike Harrigan officiating. Interment will follow at Memoryland Memorial Park. Visitation will be from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Friday at the funeral home.
Cornelius was born June 12, 1920 in Leesville, Louisiana, to Harrison and Mary Elizabeth (Carnley) Collins.
He served in the Civilian Conservation Corps, and in the 1st Calvary during WW2 as a medic. While serving abroad, he met his wife, and following the war they married. Returning from service, he moved to Texas and worked as a mechanic until well into his seventies. Seldom spotted without a hat, Bud enjoyed spending time telling stories and rarely met a stranger. He was possessed of an encyclopedic knowledge of classic country music and musicians. Other pastimes included relaxing on the porch with his cats and reading National Geographic. Bud was a member of the Mineral Heights Baptist Church and was also a member of the American Legion.
He is survived by wife Lucy (Hodges) Collins, daughters Mary Gamero and Barbara Marks and husband Richard; grandchildren Terisa Hastings, Jamie Combs and Arthur Wadleigh and wife Aimee; great grandchildren Keith Ledbetter, Kevin Ledbetter, Felicia Ledbetter, and Ava Wadleigh, as well as many nieces and nephews.
The family requests memorials be made to the ASPCA.
