Cecil J. Collins Obituary (1938

Cecil J. Collins, a long-time member of the Bremerton community and former manager of Non-Destructive Testing unit (NDT) for the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, died on September 5. He died peacefully in his sleep at home. He was 80-years-old. Cecil was born in 1938 to Cecil Cline Collins and Janie (Miller) Collins in Colorado. When he was very young, his family moved to Idaho, where he completed his early education and made many friends. A caring and devoted husband, Cecil was married to Carol Collins (Montgomery) for sixty years. The couple met in high school in their native Buhl, Idaho and moved to Bremerton after they were married in 1956. Together they raised three children. Cecil was an active member of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church and the local Elks Lodge. He enjoyed being in the outdoors and could often be found fishing for and smoking salmon, hunting deer with a bow and arrow, or chopping down trees for firewood or Christmas trees. Cecil was a proud citizen of the Chickasaw Nation. Cecil worked at the Puget Sound Shipyard throughout his career, rising through the ranks from apprentice to the lead tester of metal structures, ensuring the structural integrity of hundreds of U.S. Naval ships and submarines during his more than 40-year career. He was often called on to inspect Naval vessels throughout the country due to his expertise and keen attention to detail. A skilled carpenter, Cecil enjoyed building everything from the decks of his house to interior steps for his beloved canine companions. He was always willing to help others with their house projects and never hesitated to lend a hand when there was a difficult task. Cecil is preceded in death by his wife and two sons and is survived by his daughter, brother-in law and sister-in-law, as well as many nephews, nieces and friends. His subtle sense of humor, strong sense of integrity and compassion is dearly missed. A memorial service will be held Saturday, September 14 at 2p.m. at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church 1015 Veneta Ave., Bremerton, Washington 98337.