Paul John Collins

Mr. Paul John Collins, who lived in Biloxi all his life, died peacefully on March 18, 2015, with the comfort of his loving family. Paul was born to Augustine O'Donnell Collins and William J. Collins, Sr. on July 14, 1923. He graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Biloxi in 1940 and attended Mississippi State University. He proudly served in the United States Army in World War II. On June 4, 1948, he founded Collins Building Service with his brother Frank, following his grandfather, father, uncles, and brothers in the building profession. As a builder, he earned a reputation for honesty, integrity, and excellence. He built many homes and apartment complexes on the coast, and subdivisions including College Park and Cedar Lake. Paul was a charter member of the Gulf Coast Chapter of the National Home Builders Association, served a term as its President, and was recently honored with its lifetime achievement award. He was a devoted parishioner of Nativity B.V.M. Church for all his life, where he was active in the Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Society, past president of Parish Council, past president of the Biloxi Catholic school board, the Holy Name Society, the SERRA Vocation Ministry, and he served as a lay Eucharistic Minister at the church for many years. In addition to those church activities, he gave his time to a number of civic organizations including the Kiwanis Club, the Rotary Club, and serving as past president of the Biloxi Jaycees. He received the 2004 Lions Club Outstanding Citizen award and the 2007 Edgewater Rotary Club Shining Star Award. He volunteered his time and his sailboat to help Boy Scouts learn to sail at Camp Wilkes. He had a strong sense of service to help those who were less fortunate. He supported Habitat for Humanity both financially and with his construction supervision and labor. He supported the St. Vincent de Paul Society’s Community Pharmacy program. He was also a hospice volunteer for many years with Quality Hospice, receiving a volunteer of the year award. While he had many professional accomplishments, along with his faith the most important part of his life was family. Besides providing a loving home for his wife and children to grow up in, he instituted the annual Paul Collins Destin condo/beach vacation for all his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids. For his extended family, he hosted the Collins Family Reunions at his home for many years where relatives and friends from the corners of the world would flock annually to share in the Collins family spirit. He grew up just half a block from the beach near what is now the I-110 loop and he loved sailing. He, some of his brothers, and a friend had built a “Skate” style sailboat, which is how he met his future bride, Rose. She took the train over from New Orleans with her sister and accepted a sailboat ride from the handsome young man they had noticed earlier on walks past his Hopkins Street house. When his children were old enough to sail, he helped them build a sailboat and there have been sailboats in the family ever since. After all his children moved out and started families of their own, he still enjoyed taking the “Ginger” out on Back Bay. He especially enjoyed the friendly rivalry when sailing regattas were incorporated with the family reunions, and was very proud to have won the first place trophy in the Y2K (year 2000) Collins Regatta. Paul was preceded in death by his mother and father, his brothers William J. Collins, Jr., Francis X. Collins, Joseph O. Collins, brother-in-law Edmund D. Wilson, sisters-in-law Dorothy Gates Collins and Jane Collins, his daughter Elizabeth Ann, his son Lawrence Phillip, and his grandson Zeke. He is survived by Rose Marie Chauvin Collins, his devoted wife of sixty-eight years, his children; Stephen F. (CoCo) Collins, of Ocean Springs, MS; Richard O. (Lisa) Collins, of Valrico, FL; Michael P. (Charliene) Collins of Ocean Springs, MS; Donald E. (Patricia) Collins of Biloxi, MS; Gregory P. (Frances) Collins of New Orleans, LA; Virginia R. Collins (Ronald Clarke) of Biloxi, MS; Glenn A. (Susan) Collins of Biloxi, MS, and daughter-in-law Jackie (Larry) of Arkansas. Paul was especially proud of his grandchildren, Anne (Balderston), Jennifer (Kotar), Lydia, Lillian, Christy (LeBatard), Kimberly (Pevey), Jed, Gregory (Jerin), Jonathan, Sam (Collie) and Eli; and his nine great-grandchildren, Jacob, Jared, Justin, William, Wesley, Gracie, Claire, Parker, and Vivian. Paul is also survived by his sister Mary Collins Wilson; brother Leonard A. Collins and wife, Lucille; sister-in-law Rosemary (Mrs. Francis X.) Collins; and sister-in-law Dot (Mrs. J.O. Collins). He also leaves behind many cousins, nieces, and nephews. The family would like to express their appreciation to Ly'nell Schneider for her kindness as caretaker, Dr. Ben Cheney, and all the staff at the VA CLC Hospice ward for their concern and medical care. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o Fatima Church, 2090 Pass Road, Biloxi, MS 39531 or the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy, P.O. Box 1228, Biloxi, MS 39533. Paul is donating his body for medical research, but a memorial service will be on Saturday, March 28th at Nativity B.V.M. Cathedral, Biloxi. Visitation with the family will be from 9:00 to 11:00 AM, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial. The Howard Avenue Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.