The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-06-03
A Tribute to Robert Emmett Collins, Jr.
Rx I. q. SHAW

By J. G. SHAW The following tribute is paid to the late Robert Emmett Collins, Jr. by his friend and business as- l sociate, I. G. Shaw, who was with
 him at the time of his death in St. | Louis while they were visiting 1 delegates to the Southern Whole | sale Grocers Convention.
 Iris oft that death strikes for | shining mark We expect death to in
 wade the ranks of the old, but when l the Grim Reaper cuts down one in the l bloom of young manhood whose fu- l ture was as bright as that of any young man in the community, we can | but wonder why.
 Thus we think when contemplating
 the going of Robert Emmett Col l lins, Jr.
 As an intimate friend and business
 associate and one who was with him on 1 his last trip and at his bedside when ! he passed away my heart goes out in
 deepest sympathy to his bereaved family and I shall ever cherish with fond affection his memory. l Robert Emmett Collins, Jr., who | died on the afternoon of May 13, 1920. 1 was the son of the late Robert Elm
 melt Collins and Minnie Beatty Collins. His boyhood days were spent in Bir- | mingham, Ala. At the time of his fathers death in March, 1913, he was | a student at the University of the 1 South, Sewanee, Tenn. Two years later he finished his education with course at Poughkeepsie, N. Y. After finish ing this course he entered the business world by assuming the duties of sec retary and treasurer of the wholesale grocery firm of Collins X Co.,, which had been founded by his father in 1886. In March, 1917, he was elected president of that firm and since that do t1 ffoi i,.- tots nf a company have been directed by him. On September 19. 1917, he was mar ried to Miss Elizabeth Prince of Bir- mngham, Ala, and in December of that year he enlisted in the aviation section of the United States navy. He was given the preliminary training for aviation at the Boston School of Tech nology and was later transferred to the government flying school at Miama, Fla. at which point he was located when the armistice was signed. Soon thereafter he was discharged from the service and again assumed active nagement of his business On May 10, in company with myself and several friends and business as- sociates, ks left for the Southern Wholesale Srocers Convention in St Louis. arriving there on the morning of the 11th.
 On Thursday. May IS. while we were
 returning from a visit to the stock yards in East St. Louis. he complained of an attack of acute indigestion Members of his family and intimats friends had been uneasy about his condition for some timp, as these at tacks became more frequent and more intense. However, he always treated the matter lightly and when this at. | tack came on he suggested that we l drive back to our hotel, where he had | .,.. l. ii i,, er l for these attacks, and on this, as on previous occasions, he would not con l sent to calling in physician. | Finally, however without his knowl- edge, we called doctor, whose ar rival was considerably delayed. When l the doctor had arrived he found that l his heart had become affected and death quickly resulted.
 His body was brought to Birming- 1 ham for burial and was inferred in 1 the Oak Hill cemetery, the funeral services being conducted from the resi- dence of his father-in law, Dr. E. M. Prince. Rev. Dr. MacSporran, pastor ! of the First Presbyterian Church, of | ficiated at these services which were concluded with the Masonic ceremony performed by his fellow members of the Scottish Rite.
 His church membership was held by | the First Presbyterian Church of Bir- mingham. He was an ardent and en- thusiastic Mason. having become member of Birmingham Temple Lodge No. 636 soon after reaching his major l ity. He was a thirty-second degreo Mason and a Shriner. holding member ship in Alabama Consstory No. 1 and Zamora temple. He also held mem bership in the leading commercial and social clubs of Birmingham, Ala. A most estimable young man. low able character, quiet and unassuming. he counted his friends among the high and low the rich and poor. Ills pre- mature and sudden death was indeed shock to his loved ones and many friends.
 In our sorrow it Is comforting to know that when death came he met it bravely. He was holding my hand as the quick summons came and he passed into the Great Beyond without
 a trace of fear on his fine face. God has indeed removed from our midst noble character.
 nut thus it Is in human affairs:
 AS the flash of the lightning, the break of the waves,
 We are passing from life to our rest in the grave"
 The present alone is ours. The fu- ture will soon be the present, the present will soon be the past. J. GATES SHAW.