Mr. Charles Collins

Charles E. Collins of Alexian Village, Signal Mountain, Tennessee. went to be with the Lord on Monday, August 30, 2010 He was 98 yrs young, born on May 23rd 1912 in Laurel, Mississippi in Union County. He attended Holmes Jr College in Mississippi and Georgia Tech. in Atlanta Georgia. He was proceeded in death by his parents Charles G. Collins &Blanche Sanford Collins, his wife Pamela E. Collins, Brothers Alvin Oakley Collins and Dwane Collins and Sister Buelah

Charles enlisted in the Mississippi National Guard in 1934 and reached the rank of 2nd Lt.. He and his wife Pam moved to Chattanooga in 1936 when he was employed by the Tennessee Valley Authority. His work with T.V.A. was interrupted by World War II when he was called to active duty in April of 1942. During the war he was in command of the Coast Artillery Barrage Balloon Brigade and a Corp of Military Police guarding German Prisoners of War. He was discharged from active duty in March of 1946 with the rank of Major. He joined the Tennessee National Guard in April of 1947 and retired in January of 1960 with the rank of Lt. Colonel in command of the 181st Field Artillery Battalion He was awarded the Distinguished Service Citation Award at the time of his retirement. His forty-one years with the Tennessee Valley Authority ended with his retirement in 1972..He started out as an instrument man on a power line survey and through hard work he secured the position of head of security for the energy giant. He was given the Distinguished Service Award from The Defense Electric Power Administration in recognition of contributions to Defense Preparedness in the Electric Power Industry.

His many interests and hobbies included twelve years of service to the Moccasin Bend Girl Scouts. In 1999 a banquet was given in honor of his service and he was presented with the Trefoil Award. He spent hours photographing insects, flowers and still life for which he won a number of ribbons. He enjoyed planting tomatoes and zinnias and would present them to his neighbors and relatives.

He learned to use a computer when he was 86 years old……He wrote books that described his childhood memories in Mississippi, his experiences in World War II , and his years with T.V.A.

He was a member of the Masonic and Scottish Rite Societies for over fifty years. He was presently a member of Lodge # 758 on Signal Mountain. He was also a member of the Half Century Club of Chattanooga. He had been a member of the First Baptist Church of Chattanooga for many years but was now a member of the Signal Crest United Methodist Church on Signal Mountain

Survivors include Katie Ruth Collins of Raymond, Mississippi, nephew Ed Bruce and his wife Judy, niece Mary Ann Stansberry and her husband Roy and numerous family members in Alaska, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas.

The family will receive friends onWednesday from 4 P.M. to 7 P.M. at the Chattanooga Funeral Home East Chapel at 404 Moore Road, Chattanooga.. Services will be conducted on Thursday at 11:30 A.M. at the East Chapel with Pastor Timothy C. Bruce and Pastor Mark Gooden presiding. Burial will be at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to the Drive Church , 2543 South Five Mile Road , Boise, Idaho 83709 or to the Signal Crest United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 124, Signal Mtn., Tenn. 37377. Please share your thoughts and memories at ChattanoogaEastChapel.com