Wayne was the third of six children born to Clifford and Fannie Collins. He attended high school in North Carolina before enlisting in the army, ultimately serving in Texas, where he eventually settled down, living in Bryan, Dallas and Waco before moving to Elgin.

He attended TSTI, and what was then known as Southwest Texas State University (now Texas State University), where he majored in Wildlife Biology and made many lifelong friends. Wayne was a man of many talents, and he worked as a truck driver, in construction, as a master electrician and in many different capacities in different businesses.

In 1986, he married Maggi Collins, and after living in Waco and Hilltop Lakes, they moved to Elgin.

Wayne loved to fish and enjoyed nature in any form. In recent years, his passion was motorcycles, which he loved to build, fix and ride. His generous nature was obvious to all that knew him, and many were recipients of the help he would offer to anyone he met.

Wayne was predeceased in death by his father, Clifford.

He is survived by his wife, Maggi; children, Alisha Cox (Todd), Stacie Beaver (Todd), Jarrod Collins, Dylan Collins (fiancé Sarah McMasters), Emma Collins (partner Jad Ibrahim) and Molly Collins (fiancé Hammam Alshagra); and grandchildren Morgan, Kristan and Nathan.

He is also survived by his mother, Fannie Collins; brothers, Larry Collins (Shay), Terry Collins (Becky), Jack Collins (Bridgette) and Neal Collins (partner Angela Parker); and sister, Jennifer Harris (Chris); along with great grandkids, numerous nieces and nephews and many others that loved him deeply.

Services will be held Thursday, Aug. 31, at 11 a.m. at Providence-Jones Funeral Home, 604 State Highway 95 in Elgin. A reception will follow immediately after the service at the First United Methodist Church, 216 West Third St. in Elgin.

In remembrance of Wayne’s life, the family asks that any charitable donations be sent to the Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program or The Nature Conservancy in North Carolina.

Ar rangements ent r u s ted to Prov i dence-Jones Family Funeral Home.