Gov. Paul R. LePage has directed United States and State of Maine flags to half-staff on Friday, March 16 in Caribou in honor of Donald F. Collins, father of U.S. Sen. Susan Collins and a fixture in Maine politics.
LePage has also directed State of Maine flags to half-staff statewide on Friday, March 16. Other than in Caribou, U.S. flags statewide should remain at full staff.
“Ann and I send our condolences to Sen. Susan Collins and the Collins family on the passing of Don,” said LePage. “He dedicated his life to serving his community and state in a multitude of ways and will be missed.”
Collins was a Republican who served five terms in the Maine House and Senate from 1970 to 1992. He also served as the mayor of Caribou. A veteran of World War II, he was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge. He joined S.W. Collins Co. in 1949, becoming the fourth generation to take the helm of the family business.
Collins earned many honors, including being named Caribou’s Citizen of the Year in 1975 and the Maine Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Business Leader of the Year in 1987. He also was inducted in 2009 into the Northern Maine Construction Hall of Fame.
All flags should return to full staff at sunset on Friday.
