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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Collins, Michael T.

Age 67

COLLINS, Michael T. After a long battle with Alzheimer’s, Michael T. Collins peacefully passed away July 23rd, 2015 surrounded by his loving family.

Born May 23rd, 1948 in Lansing, Michigan, Mike grew up in Missoula, Montana with his amazing parents Tom and Bettie Collins and younger brother Patrick Collins.

Mike and Pat both graduated from Hellgate High School and went on to be Phi Delta Theta’s at Washington State University.

Mike was an ROTC cadet through college and finished his service as an officer in the Air Force.

When he graduated from WSU in business, he was the president of his fraternity and met his future wife Carol Collins.

Married on June 26th 1971, Mike and Carol moved to Seattle to start their lives together and had their first son, Matthew Collins in 1974.

After a couple years in banking (and playing in the Puget Sound), they moved to Wenatchee to follow their careers.

They not only made great friends through this transition, but had their second son, Scott Collins in 1979.

Shortly after Scott was born, Mike and Carol moved their family to Spokane, WA, to be closer to their extended family in Montana and pursue Mike’s career with IBM.

At age 35 Mike joined Merrill Lynch and had an incredible career for over 25 years.

As a leader in the business community he had intelligence and drive, but his greatest gifts were his humility, honor, and sense of purpose.

This strength of character and zest for life is what made people seek him out as a client, colleague and mentor.

Mike thrived in Spokane and it is difficult to quantify his accomplishments and his impact on the people around him as a husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, brother, brother-in-law, uncle, mentor, community leader, colleague and good friend.

He enjoyed music and was accomplished in playing many instruments starting with the accordion at age four and included, the piano, guitar, and even the tuba and trumpet in church bands.

He was not only involved with his church and charity organizations such as, the Exchange Club in Wenatchee, the Downtown Rotary in Spokane and Leadership Spokane throughout his career, he also loved sharing his time with his family, skiing, sailing, fly-fishing and was often seen jogging before the stock exchanges opened.

Although the disease of Alzheimer’s robbed his family and friends many years to share dreams and adventures with such a wonderful man, Mike lived life to the fullest for every day he was with us.

His remarkable spirit and inner light will help us accept the unacceptable.

We will love and miss him always.

Mike is survived by his loving wife of 44 years, Carol, his sons, Matthew (Julie) and Scott, his grandchildren Elle, Maeve and Thomas, all in Spokane and Patrick (Claudia) Collins of Hayden Lake, ID.

The family wishes to thank the staff at Guardian Angel in Liberty Lake, Hospice of Spokane and all who have helped the family along this journey.

In lieu of flowers, please send your memorials to Hospice of Spokane and Washington Chapter of Alzheimer’s Organization.

A celebration of life will be held at Glover Mansion starting at 5:30 on September 11th 2015.