It is with a mixture of sadness and celebration that we announce the passing of Frank Lee Collins, who departed this life on January 16, 2025, at the age of 70. He was born on April 26, 1954, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Lee and Dale McCullough Collins. Frank was a beloved son, brother and friend to many. His journey in life took him from the family farm, near Bonne Terre, Missouri, to Springfield, Missouri, where he made a home with his mom, who took loving care of him his whole life. He made new memories in Springfield, but his cherished memories are of his childhood on the farm.

Frank touched the lives of many with his gentle nature and unwavering positivity. He graduated from North County High School in 1973. Frank had many challenges, but he approached them with a smile. He loved to watch tv and his favorite shows were Forensic Files, Walker Texas Ranger, and Hawaii Five O (and longed to go to Hawaii his whole life).

Frank dearly missed his mom, who passed away in February of last year, and he loved visits from his brother and sisters. He talked about going back to Bonne Terre for visits, which weren’t often enough.

Frank is preceded in death by his grandparents Frank Belmar Collins and Thelma Estelle Crawford Collins and  Earnest Eugene McCullough, and Ada June McCullough, and his parents, Lee Roy Collins and Odell (Dale) McCullough Collins.

Frank is survived by his loving and devoted sisters Cathy Winch and her husband, Denver Henson, Cindy Canfield and her husband John, and his brother Dan Collins and his wife, Gabby, as well as several special aunts, uncles nieces and nephews. Together they will remember Frank as a very humble and gentle man. He had a childlike faith and Frank was always ready to say he loved Jesus and knew he was going to heaven. When he was able, Frank attended Walnut Street Baptist Church, in Springfield.

To celebrate Frank’s life, a Graveside Service will be held on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at Aulsbury Chapel Cemetery, near Bonne Terre, Missouri. This gathering will be an opportunity for family and friends to come together, share stories and honor the legacy of a remarkable man.

As we gather to remember Frank, let us celebrate his life and the countless ways he enriched our own. In our sorrow, let us also find joy in the memories and laughter he brought to our lives.