Edwin John Collins, Sr. (68) of Atlanta, GA died on Sunday, April 12, 2009. He is survived by Sheila McNamara Collins, his beloved wife of 45 years, children, Kathleen Mary Collins of Atlanta, Sheila Collins Ferguson and her husband, Chris Ferguson, Edwin John Collins Jr. and his wife, Lena Marie, and Maureen Angela Collins-all of Memphis, TN; grandchildren: Trey Edwin and James McNamara Collins, Jackson Collins and Theresa Quinn Ferguson; and sisters and their husbands, Jean and Ron Marwitz and Joan and Bob Arzbaecher of Chicago, IL; sister-in-law and husband, Rita and Tom Eschenbrenner of Dallas, TX; mother in law, Dolores McNamara of Roswell; and many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents and sister and brother-in-law, Shirley and Bill O'Malley. Mr. Collins grew up in Chicago IL and graduated from Christian Brothers University in Memphis, TN with an Accounting degree in 1964. After 20 years working for the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), in 1984 Collins joined Lockheed Georgia Employees' Federal Credit Union as Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. He was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer in 1995, and retired in December 2008. Collins served in many leadership positions including: the NCUA, Chairman of Cooperative Services Inc., a statewide Credit Union Service Organization (CUSO), Filene Research Institute's Research Council, Credit Union National Association's (CUNA) Governmental Affairs Committee, the Renaissance Committee and the Communications and Information Committee of the National Association of Federal Credit Unions (NAFCU), and Chairman of SWIRL, L.L.C. He dedicated his professional career to the leadership and success of the credit union industry which resulted in a Lifetime Achievement Award presented by the Georgia Credit Union Affiliates in May 2006. One of his proudest achievements was the award-winning partnership that he fostered between the credit unions in Georgia and Poland. He was instrumental in the growth of Poland's largest credit union, F. Stefczyka. In 1964, Collins married his wife and began a family that lived in various southern states until they settled in Atlanta in 1974. As his children were growing up, he was a leading volunteer at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic parish guiding athletic and social programs. In addition, he was an avid golfer, reader, sports enthusiast, and traveler. He and his family are members of Holy Cross Catholic Church. He loved his family dearly and taught them to live every moment to the fullest. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, April 15 at A.S. Turner & Sons from 6 to 8 p.m. with the Rosary being said at 7 p.m. The Mass of the Resurrection will be at Holy Cross Catholic Church on Thursday, April 16 at 11 a.m. celebrated by Monsignor Richard Lopez. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial offerings to be made to the Edwin John Collins Sr. Scholarship Fund at St. Pius X Catholic High School, 2674 Johnson Road, N.E. Atlanta, GA 30345.
