The Joe P. Collins Online Memorial

A web page to honor and memorialize my dad, Joseph Porter Collins

Joe P. Collins

Joe P. Collins was known to his children as "Pop". We've called him that ever since 1978 shortly after he and his wife, Jean divorced and moved away from each other. The nickname "POP" was taken from the show Sanford & Son, a favorite show of Joe's.

Joe P. Collins

On October 23rd, 2006, Joe P. passed away from complications due to brain cancer. He died at 11:00pm at Memorial Medical Center Hospice Department. He was a good man and great friend!

Above: Joe P. on December 18th 2003. The first person to arrive at 7:00 a.m. and anticipate the arrival of his newest granddaughter, Peyton.



Dad is pictured here at the arcade place in the Lufkin Mall in March 2003. He was attending his stepdaughter, Alaira's birthday party.


Pop is seen here in summer 1989 just prior to beginning restoration work on a 1966 Ford Mustang convertible.


Joe P. and youngest granddaughter, Peyton in October 2005.


Joe P. and Terry at Avery's birthday party on May 23rd, 2004.


This is Dad on a 4 wheeler near Hagerville in Houston County in the spring of 1983.



Joe P. pictured here in his signature series RoundHouse overalls poses with his granddaughter, Stephanie sometime in 2004.


Above Joe P. (in 1968) works with a brand new Jerrell-Ash Spectrometer machine at Texas Foundries in Lufkin, Texas. Joe was the Chief Metallurgist and Lab Director and retired in 1996 after 36 years of dedicated service.


Above: Joe P. escorts a group of people at a Texas Foundries annual casting clinic. Joe P. is pictured on the far right.


Above Left: Joe P. and long time TF employee Ben Triana. Above Right: Dad at his desk at TF. Probably 1992.

Photo of Pop on March 30, 2004

Joe P. on December 19th 2003 holding his new granddaughter, Peyton.



Click HERE to go to Dad's last Christmas (2005)




Above left photo: Son, Roman and daughter, Mandy stand for a picture with Pop at Roman's wedding on July 21, 2001 in Livingston, Texas. Above right photo: A surprise 70th birthday party was coordinated and thrown for Joe P. on March 29th, 2002 at Lufkin BBQ. Many of Pop's friends from Texas Foundries showed-up for the event. Dad knew nothing about it and we are so glad we did this for him.



An earlier picture of Joe P. taken sometime in the first part of the 1970's at the Loco Bayou Club in Nacogdoches County, Texas.



A picture made of Joe P. on March 6th, 1986. Joe P. just bought this old 1968 Mustang coupe and had planned to restore it. Working on old cars was a passion of dad's.



An undated family photo (probably 1957 or so) of Joe P. (middle holding baby) and his father, Ward on the left and his mother, Reba on the right.



Left Photo: On November 1st 2003 Joe P. accompanied his son Roman to a police car show near Waco, Texas. This is a photo taken by friend, Sonya Harrell. Right Photo: Joe P. and Terry Watts trade humor at Roman & Piper's wedding rehearsal dinner on July 20th, 2001 in Livingston, Texas.

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Joseph Porter Collins
March 29th 1932 to October 23rd 2006


Above: A few snapshots of the graveside service of Joe P. Collins. Joe P. was buried at Conner Cemetery at the Plain Community north of Ratcliff, Texas. It's very quiet, peaceful and remote and exactly what Pop wanted. Left picture is of Joe's children from L to R: Roman, Mandy and Rick.

We thank you for your visit to this page. Our father was a good and decent man. He was loved and is missed ever so dearly but we firmly believe that Pop is celebrating eternity with Christ and is indulging in God's Promises.

"Do not stand at my grave and cry...
I am not there,
And I did not die."


Headstone placed on June 2, 2007 by East Texas Monument Company, LLC of Lufkin, Texas