Obituary of Arthur L. Collins, Jr.

Arthur L. Collins, Jr., 79 PEABODY—Arthur L. Collins, Jr., 79, beloved husband of Frances (Perry) Collins, died peacefully on Monday evening Sept. 18th with his loving family by his side at the Kaplan Family Hospice House in Danvers. He was born in Boston on May 13, 1927, son of the late Arthur and Marian (Williams) Collins. Mr. Collins was a scholar and an outstanding athlete. He graduated from Boston Latin School, Class of 1944, where he was an All-Scholastic in baseball and track. He was the first high school student in Massachusetts to run the 100-yard dash in under 10 seconds. He was inducted into the Boston Latin School Hall of Fame in 1994. Mr. Collins wanted very much to attend the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis after graduation from high school. Unfortunately, due to the era that it was, racial discrimination was still very much part of the Navy, and he was denied an appointment to the Naval Academy. He was, however, nominated for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point by US Congressman Dawson of IL. He received and appointment to West Point in 1944. He declined this appointment, however, and accepted an athletic scholarship to Boston College. Mr. Collins played football his freshman year at BC, but in 1945 he left school after being drafted into the Navy during World War II. He was sent to the Great Lakes Naval Base where he was the only Black man in EENRM (Electronics School). After completing his training there, he served on the USS Iowa from 1945 - 1947 in the South Pacific Theatre operations. Following his military service, Mr. Collins returned to Boston College in 1948, where he starred in baseball and track. He became a member of the Omega Psi Phi fraternity. He graduated with a bachelor of science degree in Physics in 1952. Mr. Collins played semi-pro baseball with the Colored Giants of the Boston Park League in the 1950’s. In 1954, he met the love of his life, Frances Perry. They married in 1959 and were blessed with 47 years of marriage. He was employed as an Electrical Engineer with Raytheon, and in 1962 helped develop the tube for the first microwave oven. After a job transfer in 1963 to PA, he was elected to serve on the first Board of Directors of Williamsport Community College. Mr. Collins was employed at Varian Associates in Beverly for 24 years as a Senior Electrical Engineer, and was also Treasurer of the Credit Union there until his retirement in 1989. He had a great love for his familyl and children in general. He never missed any of his children’s many sporting events or school concerts. He was a Little League, and later a Babe Ruth coach in Peabody for 11 years in the 1970’s and 1980’s. He leaves to mourn his passing, his devoted wife, Frances, and his three children of whom he was most proud; daughter Dr. Tracy Collins, Obstetrician/Gynecologist in Shererville, IN, and son-in-law Darryl Crockett; sons Arthur Collins, III, Director of Media Services at Mt. Wachusett Community College, and son Christopher Collins, Primary Sports Anchor at NECN; grandchildren Caleb and Danielle of IN; a sister, Mary Jane Pauling Jones of NY; three nieces, one nephew, and many cousins, friends, and his two faithful companions, Jasmine and Simba, his cats. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Margaret. His funeral will be held on Saturday at 9 AM from the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 20 Church St. location, Peabody, followed by a Funeral Mass at 10 AM in St. Adelaide’s Church, Peabody, to which relatives and friend are kindly invited. A visitation will be held on Friday from 4 to 8 P.M. in the funeral home. Burial will be in Puritan Lawn Memorial Park, Peabody. The family requests expressions of sympathy be to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St., Framingham, MA 01701 or to Kaplan Family Hospice House/Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA 01923.