Junior Ray Collins

Bartlesville, OK – Funeral services for Junior “Ray” Collins will be held on Wednesday, September 4th, 2013 at 10:30 AM at the Reed-Culver Chapel with his son, Reverend Ken Collins officiating. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 3rd, 2013 from noon until 8:00 PM at Reed-Culver. Interment will be held at Price Cemetery in Tahlequah, OK. Online condolences may be left for the family atwww.reedculver.com.

Pallbearers for Ray include: Keith Moore, Randall Collins, Ed Fite, Ronny Beaverson, Travis Burris and Brian Collins. Honorary Pallbearers: Kamryn Collins, Blaine Burris, Perry Collins and Buddy Hamilton

Junior “Ray” Collins was born on May 14th, 1930 in Tahlequah, OK the son of Broxer and Pearl (Ryder) Collins. He attended Baggley High School. Following school, Ray enlisted in the US Marine Corp during the Korean War. On July 23rd, 1964, he married the love of his life, May “Willene” Thomason. This union blossomed and grew into four children and 49 years of marriage. Ray was a man of many diverse talents. He worked in the construction industry. Growing up Ray loved to pack up the fishing gear and head for Bobtail Creek for an afternoon of relaxation. Ray loved auto racing from the local dirt tracks to NASCAR He possessed a charismatic personality and a wonderful sense of humor. He loved a good joke and making people around him happy. First and foremost, Ray was a family man, devoted to his wife, children, grandchildren, and brothers and sisters. You would find him working and listening to favorite country or Gospel tunes. He was a proud member of the VFW, DAV, and the NRA. A Christian by faith, Ray was called home to his Lord and Savior on August 31st, 2013 in Bartlesville, OK with his loving family close by his side. Ray was 83 years old. He will be greatly missed for all the love he gave and the smiles he gave to all those who knew him.

Ray is preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Irene Collins Reed and one brother and his brother’s wife, Clint and Diane Collins.

Those left to cherish his memory include his loving wife Willene of the home in Bartlesville, and four adored children, Ken Collins of Bartlesville, Kimberly Burris and husband Travis of Bartlesville, Brian Collin of Bartlesville, and David Collins and wife Angela of Hobbs, NM. He leaves one brother and three sisters, Ruby Hamilton and husband Johnny of Ft. Gibson, OK, Broxer Collins Jr. of Woodall, OK, Corene Fisher and husband Shrimp of Tahlequah, OK, and Lucille Moore and husband Tommy of Woodall,OK. Ray’s legacy lives on in his seven grandchildren, Brooke Burris, Blaine Burris, Kamryn Collins, Chloe Collins, Ciara Collins, Savanah Collins, and Kaleb Collins and one great grandchild, Elyse Walterscheid, as well as many nieces, nephews, cousins and a host of friends and loved ones.