COLLINS, Nathan Charles 1934-2025

COLLINS, DONALDSON, ISAAC, HULL, JONES

Posted By: Thomas Collins (email)
Date: 2/20/2025 at 20:40:46

Nathan Charles Collins
October 1, 1934 — February 19, 2025
Phoenix

Nathan Charles Collins was born at his family’s home on October 1, 1934. He was the oldest of Clete and Mina’s 6 children.

From an early age he worked in his father’s egg business in Spring Valley, Minnesota while serving as an altar boy and singing in the parish choir.

In high school he was an excellent student and captain of the basketball team. After finishing high school in Spring Valley, Nate went to the College of St. Thomas in St. Paul.

At St. Thomas, he was in the Tiger’s Club Honorary Society where he met Pat and Robert Donaldson who eventually introduced him to their sister Barbara.

Nate and Barbara were married in December 1957. They were just 4 days short of celebrating their 67th anniversary when Barbara passed away on Christmas Eve 2024.

After Nate and Barbara’s first two children (Dan and Bridget) were born in Minnesota, in 1959 they moved to Phoenix where they added Paul, Ted, Josephine and Christopher to their family.

They raised their 6 children in West Phoenix, sending the kids to St. Louis the King and Ss. Simon and Jude grade schools and then Brophy, Xavier and Washington High schools.

Barbara ran a tight ship at home while Nate worked at National Cash Register and then at his beloved Valley National Bank (now Chase Bank). While at VNB he had the privilege of working with many fabulous colleagues who became fast friends. Together they served many customers who also became lifelong friends.

In 1986, Nate, Barbara and their youngest son, Toph, moved to Dallas where Nate became the president of BancTexas. Nate went on to serve as president at several other banks in Flemington, N.J., Tempe and Scottsdale. Along the way, he served on the boards of many companies and non-profits. He was particularly proud of his work on the Finance Committee for the Diocese of Phoenix, a national board for the Small Business Administration and CODAC, an Arizona-based drug rehabilitation facility.

When he was not working at a bank or on a board, Nate immersed himself in one project or another. He bought and rehabbed a couple of cabins in Yavapai County where he learned to lay cement, build stone walls, dig septic tanks, install plumbing and hang drywall. He became a HAM operator (WB7OWD), coached baseball, golfed, led a troop of Boy Scout Explorers and learned Spanish.

Perhaps his greatest joy, however, was learning to fly. He especially loved flying his Beechcraft up the Hudson River to view the Statue of Liberty and World Trade Towers when Nate and Barbara lived in New Jersey. When Nate and Barbara moved back to Arizona, they eventually came to live their final 5+ years at The Terraces where they met many wonderful friends, celebrated Nate’s 90th birthday and where Nate had many opportunities to sing with his Terraces pals.

Nate Collins’ proudest moments came through the sporting, academic, and career achievements of his children. He spent countless hours in the bleachers at the Ocotillo and SSJ baseball and softball fields and then at the Brophy and Xavier courts and fields. As much as he relished bragging about the success of his children, he became even more effusive when it came to recounting the conquests of his 15 grandchildren and one great grandchild. In Nate’s eyes, his kids and grandkids could do no wrong.

On February 19, 2025, Nate reunited with God, Barbara, his parents, his infant sister, and his brother Robert.

In this world he left behind his sister Kay Isaac, brothers Steve and Pat, children Dan (wife Roseanne and grandchildren Sean, Clare, Anne Marie, and Michael and Katherine Yalung), Bridget Hull (and grandchildren Mary and Conor), Paul (and grandchildren John and Kevin, and Meghan Catalanatto and great grandson Andy), Ted (wife Meghan and grandchildren Madeleine, Rory and Katherine), Josephine Jones (husband Anthony Jones and grandchildren Colin and Maeve) and his son Christopher, a Jesuit priest.

A viewing will take place at Brophy Chapel, 4701 N. Central Ave., Phoenix, on Saturday, March 1, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated by Nate’s son Christopher Collins, SJ at 11:00 a.m., immediately after the viewing. A reception will follow at Anderson Hall at St. Francis Xavier Parish. In lieu of flowers, the Collins Family asks that you consider a gift to the St. Vincent de Paul Society.