 COLLINS, ASHTON BUDD JR. Ash was born March 28, 1932 in Birmingham, AL, son of Ashton B. and Hughie Beatty Collins. He succumbed to plasma cell leukemia on October 2, 2014 at his home in Placitas, NM with his wife at his side and surrounded by his family. Ash was a husband, father, grandfather, brother, friend, entrepreneur, pilot, sailor, gentleman and renaissance man. Ash was educated at Kent School, Kent, CT and held a BA in economics from Cornell University. He served in the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command as Flight Engineer in the B-36H. In 1958 Ash joined Reddy Kilowatt, Inc., founded by his father, eventually becoming chairman and CEO. He oversaw the company's transition from strictly a trademark licensing firm to a broad consulting practice, Reddy Corporation International, serving electric utilities around the world in their management of public relations and technical issues. He served on the board of directors and was chairman of PNM. He also sat on the boards of the Thomas Alva Edison Foundation and the National Foundation for Sudden Infant Death, and was the current chairman of the board of the New Mexico Utility Shareholders Alliance. Ash's lifelong passion for flying found expression as a flight instructor for many years with the Albuquerque Soaring Club. Ash is survived by his wife, Susan of Placitas; his son, Ashton B. Collins, III and family, Nancy L. Paine and Ashton B. Collins, IV of Dallas, TX; his brother, C. Beatty Collins and wife, Helen of Sarasota, FL; and his stepsons, L. Alan Dye of Seattle, WA and Charles E. Dye and wife, Izabella Kovarzina of Albuquerque; and by his golden retriever, Bosun. Memorial Services will be held Sunday, October 19, 2014, 2:00 p.m. MDT at the Cathedral Church of St. John, 318 Silver St. SW, Albuquerque. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to: The Ash Collins Young Aviators Fund, c/o Stan Roeske, 987 Lynx Loop NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122 or to: Friends of Cathedral Music, The Cathedral of St. John, P.O. Box 1246, Albuquerque, NM 87103. FRENCH - Wyoming 7121 Wyoming Blvd. NE (505) 823-9400
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