Samuel “Sam” Collins, age 71, of Mt. Prospect, Army Vietnam Veteran, passed away on January 2, 2015. He was proceeded in death by his parents Fannie and Add Chrisp, brother Clarence and sister Nell Fleming.
He is survived by his wife Jackie, daughter Kim, granddaughter Shatiana, great-grandchildren Vincent and Li-zyah, Sisters Ernestine Starks, Janet ,Lois Ehland, Ocie Carroll, and brother Willie. With this family above includes a brother-in-law Joe, sister-in-law Blondell, nephews Willie and Jimmie, and nieces Janene, Tiffany and Anissa and 6 great-nephews and nieces. He was also survived by 3 step-sons, Scott, Jim and Frank and their spouses and children, and Jackie’s mother Sally, sister Jerri and her spouse and children and brother Joe and his spouse and children.
Sam was born in Holly Springs, Mississippi on October 14, 1943, and then moved to Chicago where he lived with his parents and siblings. Later, as an adult he moved to the northwest suburbs. Sam never spoke too much about his time in the army but he was proud of his service and as our country matured, our country became proud of our veterans who served in Vietnam. Many veterans, of all branches of the service, proudly wear their caps and when they meet each other they have an instant comradery.
Sam retired in 2003 from The Weyerhaeuser Company after 33 years. When he retired he was a corrugator supervisor and was very proud of his crew and he was very respected by his coworkers. Sam loved the outdoors and you would often find him pursuing his two favorite things golf and fishing. He loved all sports of all kinds and if he wasn’t watching reruns of the Lone Ranger or Wyatt Earp, you would find him watching sports. He liked the Bears and the Cubs but his heart belonged to the Oakland Raiders (old habits are hard to break). He also loved his dog Maxx, who he had from 2004 to 2011 and they were inseparable, when you saw Sam, you saw Maxx.
Sam loved to help his neighbors and exchange vegetable growing tips. If you drove thru the neighborhood you would find him visiting with one or two or more of them and the neighbors down the street driving by would often stop and join the group. In 2004 Sam was diagnosed with Leukemia, and although this was a shock, he took it with a grain of salt and continued living his life. He and his wife were members of Willow Creek Community Church and he continued his wonderful outreach there and where ever he could meet people. He was a kind, loving, generous, and caring man who will be missed by his family, church, friends and neighbors.
Visitation Saturday (January 10) 11:00 AM until Services 1:00 PM at Friedrichs Funeral Home, 320 W. Central Rd., at Northwest Hwy., Mt. Prospect. Interment Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, memorials to Wounded Warrior Project @ www.woundedwarriorproject.org or Willow Creek Community Church @ www.willowcreek.org