John Markham "Mark" Collins

1946 - 2024

Collins, John Markham "Mark"

May 7, 1946 - Nov 4, 2024

John Markham Collins (known as "Mark" or "J. Markham" to family and friends) was born May 7, 1946, in Oklahoma City, OK, to Lucy Esther Collins (nee Markham) and Alfred Clark Collins, Jr. Raised in Pryor and Oklahoma City, Mark graduated from Northwest Classen High School in 1964. He then joined the Air Force before finally discovering economics classes while attending the University of Houston.

He attended UH as a single parent with full custody of an adorable baby girl, Christiane Elaine Collins. There, a photo taken of Mark carrying his daughter around his neck became so popular and iconic that it ended up becoming a campaign image, helping him easily clinch the election for Student Body President. Rather than treating this like a figure-head position, Mark then successfully fought to have the school create a daycare center, while also finding time to raise money for LGBTQ campus organizations by screening rare Andy Warhol films! He went on to get his PhD in Economics from the University of Oklahoma, before eventually settling down into a position teaching International Finance at the University of Tulsa.

At UH, he also met the love of his life, Rebecca "Becky" Ann Busch, a talented accountant, teacher, and administrator. Their first date was a trip to shop for shower curtains. Eleven months later, they got married, on New Year's Eve, 1971. Eventually they added two more children to the family: Daniel Markham Collins (11/6/1976) and Benjamin Busch Collins (8/12/1982).

Though Mark excelled at administrative roles within the College of Business and university, he most preferred taking sabbaticals to other parts of the world for months at a time, such as Hong Kong, Germany, and New Zealand. And when the Cold War melted away in Eastern Europe in the early 1990s, Mark and Becky literally wrote the book on transitioning to western style accounting and finance for a newly capitalist Hungary, through a USAID grant. Travel was always one of Mark's great passions, and even in his semi-retirement phase of life, he worked with Tulsa Global Alliance, eventually visiting every continent at one point or another, including Antarctica.

When not globetrotting, Mark liked nothing more than curling up at their home in Tulsa with a good mystery novel, partnering with Becky in their long-term bridge group, or watching All Creatures Great and Small on PBS. He also was deeply involved in Sunday School at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church, as well as being a Scout Leader for Troop 20 through multiple generations of his sons and grandsons. Later in life, he also took up cycling. One of the last great achievements of his life was to be the top donations earner of 2024 for the Oklahoma MS 150 Ride!

Unfortunately, Mark succumbed to complications from cancer on November 4, 2024, at his home in Tulsa, his wife and son Daniel at his side. While his older brother, Alfred Clark Collins III, died earlier this same year, Mark is survived by numerable family members who love and miss him: his wife Rebecca Ann Busch Collins, his daughter Christian Elaine Collins Camero (Harry), his sons Daniel Markham Collins and Benjamin Busch Collins, grandchildren Nikolaus Lara, Elaina Foreman, Brianna Foreman, Brandon Hicks, Archer Foreman, and great-grandchildren Avery, Emery, Kimzey, and Paizley Foreman.

To honor Mark's memory, please consider making donations to the OMRF Multiple Sclerosis Center of Excellence, or the Boston Avenue United Methodist Church Work Area on Missions.

Visitation will be Friday, 6 - 8 pm, at Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 14th and South Boulder Ave. Funeral Service will be Saturday, 10 am, at Boston Avenue United Methodist Church.

Fitzgerald Ivy Chapel, 918-585-1151 www.fitzgeraldfuneralservice.com