The Life of Michael Clay Collins
Funeral services will be held on Friday, March 9, 2007, at 10:30 a.m., in La Chapelle de Martin & Castille, for Michael Clay (Mike) Collins, 56, who passed away peacefully on Sunday, March 4, 2007, at The Heart Hospital of Lafayette.Interment will be in Lafayette Memorial Park Cemetery in Lafayette.Reverend Kenneth O. Burke, Pastor of First Lutheran Church in Lafayette, will officiate.Survivors include his wife Deborah W. Collins; daughter Kathryn Collins; three sons, Jason and his wife Ginger, Clay and his wife Marie, and Bowen; two grandchildren, Gretchen Collins and Allen Collins; parents A. E. (Ed) Collins and Mary Brady Collins; sister Melissa (Missy) Collins; three brothers, Stephen and his wife Shelley, Neil and his wife Renee, and David; three nieces Elizabeth Collins, Summer Collins, and Julie Collins; three nephews, Andrew Collins, Will Collins, and Grant Collins; grand-nephew Hunter Collins; grand-niece Jaidyn Collins; and mother-in-law Florence Ware. He was preceded in death by his father-in-law, Holmes K (Bo) Ware.Mike was born in Roby, Texas, on April 26, 1950. He became a resident of Lafayette in 1962 at the age of twelve and has resided here since that time. He attended Lafayette Parish schools and received a diploma from Lafayette High School in 1968. He attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana, and later, Louisiana State University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in petroleum engineering. Early in his career Mike worked with Pennzoil, Superior Oil, C & B Exploration Company, of which he was a founding partner, and I. R. "Bud" Chalmers & Associates. In 1995 he became a partner in Chalmers and Collins, Inc. and continued there through the growth of the firm to its present status as Chalmers, Collins, & Alwell, Consulting Petroleum Engineers, Inc. He served as president of that company until the time of his death. Mr. Collins, a Registered Professional Petroleum Engineer, State of Louisiana, was a member of The Society of Petroleum Engineers, the American Association of Drilling Engineers, and the Lafayette Geological Society. Mike, an avid LSU fan, was a member of the Tiger Athletic Foundation.. Although devoted to his work in the exploration and development phases of the oil and gas industry, he occasionally took time to participate in golfing and dove and deer hunting. In earlier years he was active helping with boys' baseball, basketball, and soccer teams. Mr. Collins was a loving husband, son, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, and friend to many. He enjoyed spending time with his family, especially his children and grandchildren, whom he adored. He will be dearly missed by family, friends, and numerous business associates and co-workers.Pallbearers will be Jason Collins, Clay Collins, Bowen Collins, Stephen Collins, Neil Collins, and David Collins.The family requests that visitation be observed on Thursday from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM and on Friday from 8:00 AM until time of services. The family also requests that in lieu of flowers donations be made to the American Heart Association at 312-6c Guilbeau Road, Lafayette, 70506. Martin & Castille Funeral Home, Inc. of Lafayette has been chosen to help with the arrangements. 337-234-2311
