William Loyd Collins

William Loyd Collins, better known to his family and friends as Bill, went to be with Jesus on Thursday, January 5, 2017 after a lengthy battle with cancer. The family will receive friends from 5:00-7:00 p.m. Saturday, January 7, 2017, in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church of Haughton. Funeral services will be held Sunday, January 8, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Haughton with Dr. Gevan Spinney officiating. Interment will follow at Hill Crest Cemetery. Bill was born September 1, 1938, and grew up in Mineral Springs, Arkansas, in the home of his beloved Papa and Grandma, Will and Ella Hawthorne. Raised by his wonderful mama, Carrie Hawthorne Collins, he was a star football and baseball player at Mineral Springs High School. In 1956, after graduating from high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he was stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base. It was during that time, in 1960, that he met Mary Goldsby and married her after dating for two months and 8 days. He and Mary celebrated their 56^th wedding anniversary this past April. After his service in the USAF, Bill worked for Texas Eastern for several years before becoming employed in the communications industry. He spent the remainder of his career working as a systems engineer for Comet Industries, a division of Kansas City Southern Railroad, and retired in 2006 after 35 years of service. He and Mary moved to Haughton in 1961 and joined Haughton Baptist Church, now First Baptist Haughton. Bill loved his church and served there in many capacities. He was ordained as a deacon in 1963 and coached Royal Ambassadors basketball, taught Sunday School and Training Union, and served as a church trustee. He taught the auditorium Sunday School class for over 30 years until his illness prevented him from serving. His greatest joy in life was his family-his wife, daughter, son in law, and granddaughters. He was so proud of them and always shared about their accomplishments with anyone who would listen. His heart belonged to his three greatest blessings-- his granddaughters who lovingly called him Papa. He never missed an opportunity to spend time with his girls and they loved to sit with him at church every Sunday morning on the second pew from the front. From picking them up after school to watching them cheer at football and basketball games, he never missed an event or activity in which they were participating. Bill was preceded in death by his mother, Carrie Hawthorne Collins, his younger brother, Vernon Collins, and an infant son, Gregory Miles Collins. He is survived by his wife, Mary Goldsby Collins, his daughter, Kelli Collins Shaw and her husband Lonnie who he loved like a son, and his three beloved granddaughters, Caroline Shaw Colvin and her husband Cameron, Catherine Shaw, and Mary Claire Shaw. He is also survived by his brother Ronnie "Red" Collins and wife Sharon of Nashville, Arkansas, and his sister in law, Linda Collins, of Cabot, Arkansas. He leaves behind many cousins, two nieces, two nephews, and many dear friends. Serving as Bill's pallbearers will be Jap Gullatt, Dale Boyce, and the Keith boys who were like family to him-- John Keith, Mike Keith, Gregg Keith, Bryant "Bo" Keith, Jason Keith, and Josh Keith. The family would like to thank Dr. Ted Warren, Dr. Mark Calloway, Dr. Ben Wilkinson, and Dr. Chip McDonald for the loving care they provided for our precious Papa. Also, special thanks to the nurses from Willis Knighton Hospice for their compassion, love, and devotion to him in his last days. Memorials may be made to the Missions Ministry Fund at First Baptist Church of Haughton.