Shrewsbury – Norman F. Collins, born June 29, 1925 in Pittsfield, son of Frank and Emma (McKegg) Collins, passed away peacefully while sleeping Thursday, Jan. 29, 2015 in his home of 53 years in Shrewsbury. He was 89.
Raised and educated in Springfield, Norman enlisted in the United States Army, two years after the attack on Pearl Harbor, at age 18, directly out of high school. He served in Africa and Italy before the surrender of Germany and, finally, Japan.
In 1947, he married Beatrice E. Wilder of Buckland, with whom he raised his family, happily, for the next 59 years until Bea’s death in 2007. He is also predeceased by his daughter, Sharon A. Rand, and his brother, Roger Collins.
Norman is survived by his sons, Stephen W. Collins and his longtime companion Mickey deJong of Sacramento, Calif. And Peter N. Collins and his wif, Paula of Shrewsbury, his son-in-law, William ‘Butch’ Rand of Shrewsbury and Charlton; his grandchildren, Kristen A. Hennessey and her husband Andrew of Lisbon, N.H., Devin Collins and his wife Julia of Marlborough, Erin Collins of Worcester, McKegg Collins of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Tucker Collins of Shrewsbury; nieces and nephews; and his much loved dachshund, Shoene.
Norman proudly worked for the New England Telephone and Telegraph Company for 35 years, starting as a cable splicer and working his way up to Outside Plant Manager, overseeing the development and construction of plants in Sutton and Webster. He kept active in the industry serving as president of the William J. Denver Chapter of the Telephone Pioneers of America. He also worked with his son-in-law and daughter, Butch and Sharon Rand, at Rand Automotive in Shrewsbury.
Norman loved to putter around his shop. He enjoyed telephones, raising prize pumpkins, dachshunds, travel, and seasonal camping, especially the time he and Bea spent at Power Horn Camp Grounds in Old Orchard Beach, Maine and Kings Campground on Lake Manchaug in Douglas. He volunteered with the N.E.A.D.S. program and with the “Talking Book” program for the blind, as well as Special Olympics.
He was handy and creative, building lamps out of things like telephones, glass insulators, and antique root beer jugs. He had an impressive telephone museum in his basement and traveled regionally, presenting early telephone technologies to schools, historic societies, and other groups with his company, “Norman F. Collins Memorabilia.”
Family and friends will honor and remember Norman’s life by gathering for calling hours Tuesday, Feb. 3, from 5-8 p.m., at Heald & Chiampa Funeral Directors ~ The Sumner House, 5 Church Road, On the Common, Shrewsbury Center, and again Wednesday, Feb. 4, with his funeral service celebrated at 11 a.m.
Honor Norman’s memory with a contribution to Shrewsbury Special Needs Program, 100 Maple Ave., Shrewsbury, MA 01545.
