Collins, Arthur L.

Arthur L. Collins, 84, formerly of West Liberty, died Saturday, Nov. 12, 2011, at his home in West Branch. Funeral service will be held 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Liberty. Visitation will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home. Burial with military honors will be in the Oak Ridge Cemetery, West Liberty.

Online condolences may be made to the family at .

A memorial fund has been established.

Arthur was born June 8, 1927, in Mount Vernon, Iowa, the son of Arthur L. and Minnie E. Thompson Collins. He attended Mount Vernon High School. He was a U.S. veteran serving with the Navy, Army and Air Force. While in the Navy, he served aboard the USS Pitt. On June 5, 1950, he was united in marriage to Kathleen Remington in Solon, Iowa. He had worked for many years as the manager of NAPA Auto Parts store in West Liberty, until his retirement. He was a member of the Muscatine Moose Lodge.

Survivors include four daughters, Diana K. (Dan) Borash of West Branch, Christine (Ron) Waldburger of Solon, Elizabeth (Wilburn) Franklin of Memphis, Tenn., and Janet S. Paul and her fiance, Michael Morgan of Beaver Dam, Wis.; a brother, Bob (Cora) Collins of Mount Vernon; sister-in-law, Carole (Wayne) Lerch of Martelle; nine grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. Numerous nieces and nephews also survive.

He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Kathleen; two brothers, John and Dick; sister, Wanda; three half sisters, Hazel, Mabel and Mildred; grandson, Lucas; and a great-grandson, Treyton.

Published in The Gazette Nov. 15, 2011.