In the latest UTEP magazine, I was saddened to hear of Coach Collins' (and his wife's) death. As a player from 1954-1957, coach was a genuine roll-model for all of us.  All players loved and respected him.  We are grateful for his influence.   I'm now retired, having served as a United Methodist preacher in the Dallas area for nearly 50 years.  I pray that the pain of grief will soon change to a wonderful joy for the memories of these two wonderful people.  May God bless you and keep you.  Grace and Peace.

Jack, Billy, and Mary Kay~ Scooter told me about this tragedy.  Words fail me but I am so, so very sorry for your loss.  May the God of comfort minister to you all.  I had kept up with your dad when he was inducted in the Hall of Fame @ WT. What a legacy your parents left, both personally and with their life long love.  Sabra

During this holiday season--a time for reflection, gratitude, and appreciation--Ben and Gene Collins are uppermost in the hearts and minds of so many of us who were blessed to have known them, having been positively influenced by all they represented.  Their life-long, rock-solid relationship and role-modeling for their family, friends, and community shall never be forgotten.  Let this be a season of celebration for 2 lives so well-lived!  May the strength that they always represented  be the strength of their family members left to cherish their memories.

To the Collins Family, my most sincere condolences. Your father was a big influence in the lives of many, always kind, well-respected, and a teacher of life in the highest degree. While never personally knowing your mother, I can only assume she was cut from the same cloth. The world is a better place because of them.

Ben was a first class person. He was totally dedicated  to improving the athletic program. When I called for the sports coverage on KELP, he was always ready to answer any and all questions. A great man and very dedicated.

To Bill, and Jack, and Mary Kay 
The Rister family wants to express our sincerest condolences and feelings of loss and sorrow at the sudden and tragic passing of Ben and Gene.  Like so many others, we had many good times with them over the years and will hold those memories among our most cherished.  Jeannie recalls so much fun during the Coronado football games and the great house parties afterwards.  We all appreciated Ben's capable and very fair-minded refereeing.  We fondly remember seasonally searching the woods for the perfect Christmas Trees.   
Gene and Ben will be sorely missed, not only by their immediate family, but by their extended family and the community as well.  We send all the long-distance support we can to the whole Collins Family.
Jeannie Rister, Terry and Lisa Rister, and Rick and Carla Rister

Dear Billy,  Jack, and Mary Kay, I am so sorry to hear about your parents. I hope you will find peace and comfort from the support of all your friends..

Bill, Jack, & Mary Kay,

I'm sure you miss your parents deeply and no words can express the sadness you feel.  I treasure the times we shared growing up on Clairemont St here in EP.

They are in the Lord's hands now and are well kept for.

Gene & Ben will be forever in my memory. Ben was my friend and mentor and guided me during my change from the Army to College life. They were true All-Americans.

My prayers go out to your family. There are no words that will give you comfort but know my prayers for strength are with you. i have planted a Tree in Israel in their memory Russell Robinson

During spring 2012, I loved attending the Met opera with Gene and my mother, Becky Hardie, all of us chauffeured so nicely by Ben, who kept us entertained with his dry wit. I will miss them deeply.

To the Collins Family,
I will always remember Ben Collins.  He was my professor at UTEP and I had several classes while working on my Masters in Health and Physical Education.  He was and is a great teacher.  He and his wife are now enjoying their eternal reward with Our Lord.  Thank you Ben Collins for being the wonderful person and teacher who inspired thousands of students at UTEP,  My prayers go out to all of the family.

- Norma De La Rosa

Memories of shared Christmas mornings help to lessen the sadness of this time. My love and condolences to bill, jack and Mary Kay and families
Virginia brilliant

Bill, Jack and Mary Kay:
During this time of great sorrow, be reminded of the thousands of lives that Ben and Gene have touched and influenced positively. Ben was a colleague, a friend, a mentor and a role model. He and Gene were the kindest, gentlest and most humble persons that I have ever known.There are many fond memories of times past. May God strengthen and comfort you and bring you peace...today, and in the days to come.

Dear Jack, Mary, and Collins family,
We are so saddened by your great loss. May God give you strength, comfort, and hope as He wraps His arms around you at this time.We are holding you in our hearts, thoughts and prayers.
Dennis and Sharon Sibert

Jack,
We are so sorry to hear of the loss of your parents.  Your Dad was a great guy and I enjoyed his class that I took at UTEP.  My mother, Roberta worked with Gene at the community college for several years and told me she was very well liked and respected by her students and other teachers.  My Mom also very much enjoyed her visits and the eggs she received every week from your parents farm in the Valley.  Again, please accept our condolences.
Chris Tonish and
Roberta Tonish

Mary Kay, John & family, we shed our tears with yours.  It is never easy to lose a parent, we are never prepared.  To lose them both at one time is tragic.  I just know that God had a plan, we must trust in his wisdom.  Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.  Your parents will live forever in your hearts and memories.  I pray God will give you the strength you need.  Sending you hugs.  

Lynn & Henry Ontiveros & family

Dear Jack, Mary and the Collins Family,
We are sending our deepest sympathy to you at this sad time.  Although we never were fortunate enough to meet your folks, Jack, if they raised such a wonderful a son as you, they must have been very special, Godly people.  Know that you're all in our thoughts and prayers.

Dear Mary Kay and John, I had no idea when I greeted you this morning at church about this tragedy.  I am so very sorry for your tremendous loss.  My heart and prayers go out to you and your family.

My condolences, I am shocked and loss for words.. Ben was a great friend and mentor when I first started at UTEP Athletics. My prayers go out to you. May your parents rest  in peace.

Dear Mary Kay,
   My heart goes out to you and your family. May God wrap you all in his cloak of confort and compassion to help you through this extremely difficult time. 
God bless you, 
Debie Martinez Neuner

Very sorry for the loss of your parents. Coach Collins meant a lot to me during my playing days at Texas Western from 1959 -1962.  John Paul Young  and many of the Abilene guys who played for him.

Billy, Jack, and Mary Kay I was shocked and saddened to hear about the loss of your parents. I have wonderful memories of your entire family. May the memories you have of your parents keep their love and joy close to your hearts.

Chula Beall Eslamieh 
Tempe, Arizona

Dear Mary Kay and family, we are so saddened to hear about the loss of your parents.  You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.  May they rest in peace.  God Bless You, Love Michele and Dwayne Aboud

WE ARE VERY SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS.
GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Shorewood Senior Campus, a SilverCrest property, expresses our deepest sympathy to Jack and his family.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Jack and family - please know that your brightondale family has you in their thoughts and prayers - Sheila Meyer

Dear Bill, Jack and Mary Kay, My heart is broken too.  Your parents were two of the most wonderful people.  Other than my own parents, their example of how to live a worthy life of love and faith has been a guide for my own.  Too, I think they were my parent's best friends.  I know they were at my parent's sides when they needed support and friendship.  That means a lot!  I loved your parents.  All of heaven has welcomed them home.

Billy, Mary Kay & Jack...I just read this...& I knew they were You're Mama & Daddy....My heart goes out to Ya'll ....words can not say enough....Blessings to All....

Ben and Gean were a wonderful couple and a delight to be around.  It was fun to talk to them about their travels and stories about Texas Westerm (UTEP). It was a shock to read about their passing. I am saddened by their loss and grateful to have known them.

OMG!!! We are totally at a loss for words - Ben & Jean were our good neighbors and friends for many years. Our sincere condolences to the family.

Don and I were shocked and saddened to hear of the tragic loss of Ben and Gene yesterday.  We have fond memories of those long ago days at UTEP and the fun times we had after football and basketball games.  We have been in MT for 22 years since retirement but still have ties to El Paso and UTEP....so sorry for your loss. 
 Don and Shirley  Hardin

No words can express the deepest sadness
and sorrow for the passing of your dear
parents.

May God give you strength each 
and every day.

Sincerely,

Garth Jones
David Galatzan

Jack and Collins Family,
Our thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family at the tragic loss. May you find comfort in your memories and know that God is holding you in his mighty hands.

Mary Kay, my heart hurts for you and your family.  Your parents were so kind and fun loving-I have great memories of those times. I hope that you all can find some comfort in those sweet memories.  My thoughts and prayers are with you.
With love,
Karin Brookins Taylor

Ben and Gene attended my church, Anthony United Methodist years ago.  They were such a wonderful couple.  Friendly and humble and very caring.  I feel privileged to have known them.  They were certainly role models for many of us.  God bless and give comfort to their family and friends.
Kay Thurman

Mary Kay, I was so sorry to hear about this huge loss. I well remember your parents as they worked at the food pantry when I did. (And where you and I still work.) Your dad greeted folks at the front door while your mom worked on the computer. They each had a wonderful sense of humor. What a wonderful couple!

 Billy,Mary Kay,Jack and families, you are in our thoughts and prayers and hearts at this difficult time. WE LOVE YOU.

To The Collins Family,

My mother and I attend Trinity First United Methodist Church.  
The Collins' were always so friendly and gracious to everyone in the Church.  I had been working overseas for many years and recently came home to visit.  Mary Gene was the first person to greet me and always remembered me every Sunday that I visited the church.  She was so nice and pleasant all the time.

Our hearts are heavy with sadness and words cannot convey the sense of grief your family must feel at this difficult time.  God bless you and your family during this devastating loss.

God Bless You
Dave and Sigrid Hutchison

Mary Kay I am so very saddened . I pray The Lord holds you tightly. I so enjoyed working with your dear mom at the food pantry. She always insisted speaking spanish to the people who came for help and always invited them to our church.

Mary Kay and John,
We were stunned to hear of the tragic circumstances surrounding your parents' deaths. Please know that we as well as all your friends and colleagues are sending prayers your way. We hope that you will find solace in all the wonderful memories you have of your remarkable mom and dad.

To Billy and the Collins family, our families condolences and heart goes out to you. We will keep you in our daily prayers.

Jack and family -
There are no words to express our deepest sympathy for the loss of your Mom and Dad. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family Jack.

Bill, Jack and Mary Kay and families -  Our hearts hurt with you.  We loved your mom and dad so much and I know that they will be missed by all who knew them.  We love you!

I did not know them. But I know Mr. Billy Collins. My condolences goes out to the Collins family.  May god be with you and your family Billy. Your parents are in a better place.

I am so sorry for your loss.  I saw your parents at the hall of fame when my Dad inducted about 5 years ago.  I had known them forever and they will be missed! Nancy Brumbelow Sisk, Lafayette,CO.

Gene and Ben were wonderful friends- we were in the Wedding Band Sunday School Class together at Trinity for years. I held them in high regard, and they will be sorely missed by all of us. With love and sympathy to all the family.

As an 18 year old freshman from Las Vegas Nevada back in 1974( Miner Men's Track Team)...I had the honor of being one of Coach Collin's PE students. He was kind, patient and above all a class gentleman! The Leon Smith Sr. family sends our condolences to the Collins family on the loss of a great man and a beautiful mother in Mrs. Collins. May God bless their souls and bring healing to the family.

Jack and the Collins Family, I'm so sorry about your terrible loss and send my deepest sympathies to all of you.

Jack, My thoughts and prayers go out to you and your family.I remember when they invited me to have Thanksgiving dinner with you and them when we were in college. They were very kind and  nice people.

Coach Collins was a true gentleman and scholar, who helped many young men become professional leaders in our public schools.  We will dearly miss him.

We were neighbors on Mississippi St. in the early '50s, and he taught my sister how to swim at the TWC pool. Great family, great TWC/UTEP fans!

May God comfort the family during this very difficult time.

God works in mysterious ways and that makes some things very hard to understand. Heaven has greeted two additional Angels yesterday. My thoughts and prayers are with the entire family during this very difficult time.

A sports legend that helped put TW-UTEP on  the world of sports who had a wife for all seasons...

We are so sorry for your loss. Ben and Gene were incredible people and will be missed greatly.

Rest in Peace Mr. and Mrs. Collins. You've been together for many, many years and now have left together. May your family, friends be wrapped in prayers and blessings at this time of loss.

My thoughts and prayers go out to all of you. May you find peace during this most difficult time.  With deepest sympathy.

I met Ben and Gene at Trinity First and attended Bible study with them.  What discussions we had!   Truly a great couple!

There are no words really. I am so very sorry. Your parents were so very kind and loving.

Mary Kay our hearts are broken.  I am so glad I gave you that last hug yesterday.  Our thoughts are with you and your family.  Our love Rich, Marina, and Alexander

Deepest sympathy - Ben and Gene will be greatly missed at Trinity-First.  Gene greeted everyone with a smile and sincere welcomes and was envied for her VERY high heels and participation in marathons.

Ben and Gene were my sponsors when I joined Trinity-First UMC. I will miss them very much.

The Bohling Family sends their deepest sympathy.  Our prayers go out to Bill,Jack and Mary Kay.

Billy,

I'm so sorry for the loss of your parents.

M.K, Billy, Jack and extended family, you are all in my heart and prayers.  Words fail me.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Benny Wesley & Mary Gene Collins

1 avril 1921 – 20 novembre 2014

Martin Funeral Home

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