Adam Paxton

1972 - 2025

Albert Adam Paxton "Adam," 53, of Tupelo, Mississippi, and Palm Beach, Florida, passed away on Sunday, August 24, 2025, leaving behind a legacy of love, generosity, and lasting memories.

Adam was raised in Tupelo, Mississippi, by his loving parents, Jim and Nancy Collins. From an early age, Adam's life was marked by charisma, unwavering presence, and natural leadership. At Tupelo High School, he played starting quarterback for the Golden Wave, helping lead the 1990 team to state runner-up - "#1 in your heart, #13 in your program" - before graduating in 1991. Adam, a member of the Tupelo High School Hall of Fame, had a lifelong love for music and sports. He performed with Varsity Chorus, including a performance at Carnegie Hall, and starred as "Conrad Birdie" in Bye Bye Birdie. Only Adam could make participation in show choir "cool". He went on to Mississippi State University, graduating in 1995, where his loyalty to the Bulldogs became a lifelong commitment.

Adam dedicated more than three decades to the furniture industry, where he became not only a successful businessman but also a beloved figure among colleagues. He began his career at Rose Hill and Natale before building Vogue Home Furnishings into a cornerstone of his life's work. In a 2001 InFurniture article that profiled him at just 29, Adam shared, "I love dealing with the people. It remains my favorite thing about the business." That sentiment never changed. For Adam, work was never about transactions - it was about relationships, and he nurtured them with care, loyalty, and genuine friendship.

Beyond his career, Adam was a man of many passions. He was a voracious reader, always keeping a book at his bedside. He loved music deeply - curating playlists for Saturday drives to Starkville, to spinning Sinatra on the record player in his treasured "Polo Room." His last played record, The Beach Boys Pet Sounds with "God Only Knows," was a reflection of the music he loved most: timeless, heartfelt, and deeply human.

Adam's joy for life extended to travel and new experiences. He delighted in sharing adventures with family and friends, always bringing home a keepsake or photograph to remind them of where they'd been together or would go one day. In recent months, he developed a love for cooking and grilling - ribs, chicken wings, lobster pasta to name a few - always paired with his five o'clock Jack Daniel's. His cabana, poolside sight of many gatherings, cigars, and conversations, was one of his favorite places on earth.

A true Bulldog through and through, Adam's devotion to Mississippi State was unmatched. Saturdays in Starkville, cheering from Davis Wade stadium, or sharing tickets to a baseball game with family and friends, were among his happiest times. He proudly supported MSU athletics and the veterinary program who cared for his beloved dog Maya.

Adam's favorite season was Christmas, a holiday he celebrated with unmatched joy and generosity. From the Kringle tradition that began each Christmas morning to the carefully prepared dinners that closed the day, Adam's love for giving, celebrating Christ, and cherishing his family shone brightest at the holidays.

Even after the passing of his father, Jim "Possum" Collins, Adam carried forward the lesson Jim had taught him so well - that family is not only the one you are given, but also the one you choose. He lived that belief every day. To his children, Drew, Lane, and Tucker, Adam was a steady source of love, guidance, support, and advice (whether asked for or not). Most importantly, he was their constant - a source of stability, strength, and deep, unwavering love that words could never fully capture.

Although Adam's roots were always in Tupelo, his heart found its home in Palm Beach with his fiancée, Heather. Their love for each other began 27 years ago, and they were fortunate enough to find one another again in recent years. With Heather, Adam found not only a partner, but also a steady and meaningful bond; everyone who saw them together could sense their devotion to one another - summed up best in her own affectionate phrase, "Love you, ergo."

Survived by his fiancée, Heather M. Andrews; his mother, Nancy Adams Collins; his children, Lane Baxter, Drew Napier (Chelsea), and Tucker Napier (Destiny); and his grandchildren, Kate (11), Anna (9), Owen (4), Austin (2), Sophie (<1), and Norah (<1). He is also survived by his sister, Amy Blossom (Benjamin); his brothers, Conner Collins and Josh Collins (Allison); his nieces and nephews, Bo, Carlyle, and Charlie Blossom, and Molly McGuffie; his goddaughters, Lilla Riede McGraw and Polly Stiles; and his godsons, Porter and Penn Stiles.

He is further remembered by his extended family, including Albert "Sonny" Paxton (Sarah), Bill Paxton (Charlynne), Pam Ferriss (David), Valeria MacPhil (Bill), James Paxton (Chris), Kathy Cooke (Mike), Clark Adams (Linda), and John Adams (Regina).

Adam was preceded in death by his father, James Whitfield Collins; his grandparents, Valeria and Albert Paxton and Amanda and Roy Adams; and his uncle, John Paxton.

Pallbearers include, Steve Amaan, Jason Ayers, Ricky Black, Chan Brown, Chris Cole, John Decker Sr., John Decker Jr., Murray Engle, Erie Gibens, John Godwin, Michael Gratz, Larry Harmon, Kevin Hitt, Kelly Holcomb, Hamp Hughes, Chris Jones, David Larkin, Brian Leathers, Chad Long, Eddie Lyons, Brian McGraw, Bob Monroe, Albert Paxton, Bill Paxton, Jamie Pound, Todd Richardson, Harold Ruby, Kevin Rose, David Sisk, Jonathan Schottenstein, Mitchel Stiles, Harry Hall Sumner, Fred Taylor, Michael Terrell, Matthew Toppy, Dudley Wallace, Jay Witcher, Stephan Witcher.

A visitation to honor Adam's life will be held on Friday, August 29, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at his home. A service and celebration of his life will follow that evening at the Tupelo Country Club from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. At the request of Adam's family, please wear your Bulldog Best in his memory. Arrangements are entrusted to W.E. Pegues Funeral Directors.

Should you wish, memorial contributions may be made in Adam's memory to the Bulldog Club's State Excellence Fund, 288 Lakeview Drive, Mississippi State, MS, 39762.

Adam lived his life with an open heart, a generous spirit, and an infectious enthusiasm for the people and passions he loved. He will be remembered not only for his accomplishments, but for the way he made others feel seen, valued, and loved.

To know Adam was to love him.

"The best is yet to come." - Frank Sinatra