Ashton Collins Jr.

Collins, Jr., Ashton Budd.
Ashton B. Collins, Jr., A resident of Riverside and Greenwich CT for nearly 30 years, Ash was born March 28, 1932 in Birmingham, Alabama, son of Ashton B. and Hughie Beatty Collins. He succumbed to Plasma Cell Leukemia on October 2, 2014 at his home in Placitas, NM.
Ash was educated at Kent School, Kent, CT and held a BA in economics from Cornell University. He served in the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command as Flight Engineer in the B-36H.
In 1958 Ash joined Reddy Kilowatt, Inc., founded by his father, eventually becoming chairman and CEO. Working in the Greenwich CT office until 1984, he oversaw the company's transition from a trademark licensing firm to a consulting practice, Reddy Corporation International, helping electric utilities worldwide with public relations and technical issues. He served on the board of directors of Thomas Alva Edison Foundation, the National Foundation for Sudden Infant Death and New Mexico Public Service where he was chairman. He was the current chairman of the board of the New Mexico Utility Shareholders Alliance.
Moving to New Mexico, Ash became a flight instructor with the Albuquerque Soaring Club, giving rein to his lifelong passion for aviation. He raced a Quincy Adams class sailboat out of the Riverside Yacht Club while living in Connecticut.
Ash is survived by his wife, Susan of Placitas NM; his son Ashton B. Collins, III and family, Nancy L. Paine and Ashton B. Collins, IV of Dallas, TX; his brother, C. Beatty Collins and wife, Helen of Sarasota, FL; and his former wife Libby Collins of Riverside CT.