Thomas C. Collins, of Sedona, Ariz. and New Harbor, died May 24 in Cottonwood, Ariz. from pneumonia complications.
Born Feb. 17, 1931 in Portland, Ore., he moved to New York City with his mother in 1939. A graduate of Choate in 1948 and the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1952, Collins married Suzanne Richmond of New York City June 16, 1952.
In 1954, after two years in the Army, Collins took a position in brand management with Procter & Gamble in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1970, he became general manager of Procter & Gamble’s German subsidiary, living in Germany until 1974 when he moved to Brussels, Belgium as manager of P&G’s staff operations in the European Common Market. Returning to P&G’s worldwide headquarters in Cincinnati in 1976, Collins held various positions in public affairs, including vice president of the Procter & Gamble Fund and manager of external affairs. He retired in 1990 as special assistant to Procter & Gamble’s CEO.
A lifelong student of nature, Collins lived with his wife and children on a 72-acre farm in Clermont County, Ohio until retirement, when he and his wife traveled extensively. With sale of their Ohio farm in 1999, Tom and Suzy built an addition to Suzy’s great-grandmother’s house in New Harbor, and Tom became involved in Maine community activities.
He was trustee of the Maine Coalition for Excellence in Education, founder and chairman of the Council for Excellence in Maine’s Early Grades, president of the Bristol Area Lions Club and president of Maine’s Live Poets Society.
In 2007, Collins and his wife bought a home in Sedona, Ariz. to be close to children and grandchildren. Tom played bridge for three years in championships with the finest in the country, before retiring in 2012 to spend more time with family.
He is survived by his wife; four children; six grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
After cremation in Sedona, a memorial service will be held in New Harbor this summer.
