Paul F. Collins, 87, died June 3, 2009 in Ft. Pierce, FL.
Mr. Collins was born in Pemberton, New Jersey and moved to Ft. Pierce in 1984.
Paul was the fourth generation owner of Collins & Son Funeral Home which was founded in 1865 and sold the funeral home and retired in 1984. He was a 1st Lieutenant of the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII, Combat Pilot of 438th Sq., 319th Bomb Group having flown 52 missions between both European and Pacific Theaters of Operations and was awarded the Air Medal with five Oak Leaf Clusters and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm among other personal and unit citations.
He was a member of the New Jersey and Burlington County Funeral Directors Associations, Past President of Pemberton Rotary Club, Past Master of Pemberton Masonic Lodge, also a member of the Excelsior Consistory in Collingswood, and Crescent Temple Shrine in Westhampton, Tall Cedars of Lebanon of North America and the National Sojourners Lodge, Life Member of the National Rifle Association, New Jersey Hunter Safety Instructor, Past Director of the National Skeet Shooting Association, member of the New Jersey Skeet Shooting Association, and Past President of the Red Stag Deer Club.
Survivors include his wife of 52 years, Lorene K. Collins of Ft. Pierce, FL; sons, Gary E. Collins of Burlington, N.J., Gary R. McAnelly of Newtown Square, PA, Jeffrey Collins of Tabernacle, NJ, and sister, Judith Collins Smith of Salem, OR; 7 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.
Services: An inurnment with full military honors will be held on Thursday, July 9, 2009 at 2:00 PM at Arlington National Cemetery.