Thomas E Collins

Lt. Colonel (Retired) Thomas Edward Collins III, 87, passed away peacefully at his home in Brandon, Mississippi, on Saturday, September 6th, 2025, surrounded by friends and family. He was deeply loved and respected, having lived a long and fulfilling life that inspired everyone who knew him.

Tom was born Dec 27th, 1937, to the late Thomas Edward Collins Jr. and Nell Ellis Travis Collins in the front bedroom of a farmhouse outside of Utica, MS, where he grew up with his two younger brothers and sister. He was captain of the football team, president of the FFA Club, voted class favorite and most popular boy, active in baseball, track, glee club, and academics at Utica High School. Tom is an alumnus of both Mississippi State University (BS in Business) and the University of Southern Mississippi (MBA) and was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

Soon after high school graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, Donnie Katherine Martin, on Aug 23rd, 1959, just prior to answering the call to serve his country by joining the Air Force only eight days later, where he flew the F-102 Delta Dagger and the F-4C Phantom II. His jet’s hydraulic system was hit by small arms fire, what he sarcastically called a “Magic BB”, trying to take out a bridge on the Ho Chi Minh Trail over North Vietnam on Oct 18th, 1965. He ejected at 1000 feet, and his chute barely opened before slamming to the ground, compressing vertebrae and injuring an ankle. He was unable to evade capture and was taken as a Prisoner of War (POW). He spent the next seven and a half years being moved from caves to bamboo cages at 12 different internment camps, including the infamous “Hanoi Hilton”. He endured physical and mental torture, as well as malnutrition, nearly costing him his hearing and vision. His oldest son, Marty, was only 2 years old when he was taken captive, and his youngest son was born 17 days afterwards. It took years for the family to discover he was not Missing in Action (MIA), and for him to learn that he had a second son. He was released from captivity on Feb 12th, 1973.

Tom rarely spoke about his ordeal after returning home and was always jovial and cracking jokes. He taught flight science at the University of Southern Mississippi, and he remained active in the Air Force until retiring in 1980. Among his awards and decorations are 2 Silver Stars, Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts, POW Medal, Air Medal, AF Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 8 stars, Vietnam Gallantry Cross, Vietnam Campaign Medal, AF Outstanding Unit Awards, AF Longevity Service Awards, and Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbons.

After working in real estate, he became executive director of the Mississippi Veterans' Farm and Home Board. He then ran for the U.S. Congress in 1988, and although he narrowly lost, he continued to serve the country when he accepted an appointment by President George H.W. Bush as the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Veterans one year later. Collins traveled to Russia as part of an ambassador team helping develop a free-market economy in the former Soviet Union.

He is survived by his son, Martin Travis Collins (Claudia Elizabeth Eaves Collins) of Brandon, MS, granddaughters, Arlington Katherine Collins Wightman (Tyler Richard Wightman) of Brandon MS, Anne-Hudson Collins Hernandez (Charles Benjamin Hernandez) of Hattiesburg, MS, Ellis Elizabeth Collins of Houston TX, Marylacy Collins (beau Daniel Lee Kyzer) of Brandon, MS, as well as great-grandchildren McKinleigh Faith, Rylee Hope, and Brayden Travis Wightman, Samuel Benjamin and Sarah Elizabeth Maria Hernandez.

In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Donnie Katherine Martin Collins, and son, Dr. Edward Noel Collins, his brothers, Dr. Madison Travis Collins and Everette Hilton Collins, and his sister, Mary Nell Collins Landin.

A Celebration of Life and Sunday lunch will take place at Baldwin Lee Funeral Home in Pearl, MS, from 12:00 to 2:00 pm on September 14th, with a procession following to Old Lebanon Presbyterian Church Cemetery, 1213 Lebanon Presb Church Rd, Utica, where a graveside military service will occur at 3:30 pm.

Urn bearers will be Tom Landin, Jason Collins, Calvin Collins, Michael Collins, Steve Martin, Tyler Wightman, Ben Hernandez, Daniel Kyzer, and Jerry Fox.

In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts can be made to the Lebanon Presbyterian Church Cemetery Fund and mailed to 310 Oak St, Learned, MS 39154.