Fred Collins

1920 - 2011

Services are scheduled at 10:00 a.m., Monday, June 27th at First Baptist Church for Fredrick Deforrest Collins of Artesia, New Mexico. Mr. Collins, 90, died Thursday, June 23, 2011, at Artesia General Hospital. Visitation will be at Terpening & Son Mortuary Sunday beginning at 2:00 p.m.
Born in Strawn, Texas on November 2, 1920, Fred came to Vaughn, New Mexico, at age 10, in a covered wagon, where his family homesteaded a plat of land south of Vaughn. He attended school in Vaughn until his family moved to Floyd, where he graduated from High School in 1941. After attending college in Portales at ENMU, Fred married Alice Jane Shirley on May 17, 1945 and they moved to Ft. Sumner, where he operated a service station during World War II.
Fred and Alice moved to Portales in 1949, where he managed a hotel for a couple of years and then a restaurant for a couple of years before buying a lumberyard just north of the Portales Country Club. He operated the lumber yard and built houses for about 15 years before buying 300 acres behind Oasis State Park between Portales and Clovis, where he operated a riding stable for several years.
In 1967, Fred moved his family about 8 miles west of Artesia where he ranched until 1982, when he moved to town. He and Dr. Hardin developed North Park Mobile Home Park on North 13th Street. Fred operated the mobile home park until July, 2004, when he underwent heart surgery and retired.
Fred was very involved in the Republican Party, both on a local level and the state level. He especially enjoyed escorting Pete Dominici and Steve Pearce around Artesia and introducing them to many local voters. For many years he served as a member of the Eddy County Fair Board and he was a very active member of the Kiwanis Club in Portales and in Artesia. He especially enjoyed his work with the High School Key Club and serving pancakes at the annual pancake breakfast. He maintained his great sense of humor until the very end! He gave everyone a hard time whether it was one of his grandchildren stopping by to see him at home or a stranger at the local coffee shop!
Fred was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lewis Collins and Jesse Collins; one sister, Lois Watson, and a son, Elton Ray Collins.
He is survived by his wife, Alice Collins and six children, Beverly Clark and husband, Dave of San Angelo, Texas, Rick Collins and wife, Cyndy of Roswell, Wayne Collins and wife, Charlotte of Albuquerque, Margaret Peyton and husband, Kenny of Artesia, Billy Frank Collins and wife, Glenda of Artesia, Silvia Haldeman and husband, Richard of Artesia; 19 grandchildren; 38 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great-grandchildren. He is also survived by three sisters and two brothers, Johnny Cooper of Artesia, Jerry Ramsey of Artesia, Helen Rogers and her husband, Steve of Hedley, Texas, Gene Collins and wife, Lorene of Portales, and Pete Collins and wife, Lola of Clarkston, Washington.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Terpening & Son Mortuary. Please express condolences at www.artesiafunerals.com.