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| Indigo Star underway to Pelican Bay |
We rang in the new year with our PGIslander Boat Club friends. We took m/v, Indigo Star, to Pelican Bay near Cayo Costa. Our friends rafted up their three catamarans for the "party platform." The weather was perfect - unusually warm, for this time of year in the 70's. People began arriving at the boats about 5:30 p.m., just before sunset. Everyone provided wonderful appetizers and drinks.
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| The New Year's Eve Party Platform - 3 catamarans |
We surprised Richard for his 70th Birthday with a skit and songs about his life. Here is the script for your reading enjoyment...
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| Richard looking good at age 70 |
On
NEW YEAR'S EVE, Dec 31, 1946, Richard Christopher Collins was born in
Dover, NJ, the first child of Arthur & Julia Jo Collins. As he
lay in the hospital basinette, and the clock struck midnite, this is
the first tune he heard:
Should
old
acquaintance be forgot,
and never brought to mind? |
Richard
was a good baby, but his world was uprooted when his only sibling,
younger brother, Bart, was born when Richard was 3 years old. His
song was then:
WE
ARE FAMILY....
I'VE
GOT A PESKY
KID BROTHER AND ME!
Richard's
Dad was in the Air Force and his childhood was a series of moves..
all throughout the US and Guam. He loved moving around and Richard
was often overheard humming:
On
the Road Again by Willie Nelson
On the road again
Goin' places
that I've never been
Seein' things that I may never see
again,
And I can't wait to get on the road again
To
Long Island, NY in Levittown age 1-5
To
Guam ages 6-7
To
Orlando, FL age 8
To
Amarillo, TX age 9
To
Rantoul, Illinois, age 10
To
Jacksonville, Arkansas, age 11
To
Smyrna, Tennessee, age 12-14
To
Abilene, Texas, age 15-22
He
figured he attended about 12 different schools by the time he got to
college.
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| Blowing out the big 70 candles on favorite carrot cake |
HE
WAS OFTEN BORED IN SCHOOL AND ONE TIME GOT IN TROUBLE FOR CLIMBING
OUT THE CLASSROOM WINDOW!
Even
so, he received a scholarship to McMurray College and graduated in
1969 with a BS in Chemistry.
Richard
inherited his Mom's love of animals. As a teenager, he had cowboy
boots, bought 2 horses (named SHAWNEE AND LACKAWANA), worked in a
stable and for a vet. His song then was:
I`m
back in the saddle again
Out where a friend is a friend...
After
college, he wanted to leave home and get out of Abilene... so he
enlisted in the Air Force. His song was then...
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| Gene, Sue and John getting ready to party |
US
Air Force Song
Off
we go into the wild blue yonder,
- Climbing
high into the sun
Richard
was stationed in the remote Azore Islands off the coast of Portugal.
He enjoyed exploring the islands and here, he had his first
opportunity to go sailing on a sailboat. It was love at first
sight!
His
song was then:
Sloop
John B
So
hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
Call for
the Captain ashore
Let me go home,
He
wound up being transferred to Austin, TX where he finished his 4
years of service to Uncle Sam. He then attended Graduate school
under the GI Bill. He received a Ph.D. From University of Texas
...and moved to Providence, RI for a 2 yr. postdoctoral fellowship
at Brown University.
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| New Year's Day Brunch on the catamarans - YUM |
While
at UT, he learned the UT Football Fight Song:
“Give
'em hell, give 'em hell! Make 'em eat shit.”
After
2 years in Rhode Island, he obtained his first professional position
at Occidental Chemical Corporation. He relocated to Lake City, FL
and was in the research lab there for many years and was awarded
“Kiwanian
of the Year.”
When
he was 45, he took a transfer to the Houston, Texas area. It was
here that he met Joanne, at a Methodist Church Singles Group. He
called her for a date and soon it was
GETTING
TO KNOW YOU, GETTING TO KNOW ALL ABOUT YOU.
However,
Joanne was not so sure about Richard since she was having a great
time dating other guys. Time passed... Richard then decided to buy
himself a 28 ft sailboat, named Sea
Growth. After
a few weeks, he asked her whether she would like to go on the
sailboat with him. She canceled her date with another guy and went
sailing with him and her girlfriends. During this time, she asked
him if he would point the boat out of the sun. He piped up telling
her “sure” that “if he could, he would move the sun and the
moon for her!” It was that statement that turned her around and
love bloomed. They were so happy together and their song was
What
a Wonderful World
I
see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and
you
And I think to myself what a wonderful world
They
were married on May 7, 1994 at St. Mary's Catholic Church. They
bought a beautiful home in Dickinson, TX, a suburb of Houston. They
were active in a wonderful group called New Life and a sailing
clubs, expecially the Texas Mariners Cruising Association. During
this period of Richard's life, Joanne's daughter, Michele, became a
doctor and Richard was and continues to be a supportive step-dad.
They owned 2 other sailboats – a 33 ft. Caliber and then a 35 ft.
Catalina called Eagle's Wings. Every weekend, they were usually up
at the marina going sailing or hanging out on the boat.
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| Discovering a shell tree on Cayo Costa New Year's Day |
Richard
decided to retire in April 2007 at age 61. He persuaded Joanne to
retire the year after. They could go sailing and have fun
traveling! His song is summed up as....
Changes
in Attitude, Changes in Latitudes
It's
these changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes
Nothing remains
quite the same
With all of our running and all of our cunning
If
we couldn't laugh we would all go insane
Whoa
! Then, Richard's cousin, Connie had an exciting proposition. She
arranged a house sitting gig in PG Isles, so Richard decided to sail
Eagle's Wings here all the way from Houston. Before they knew it,
they fell in love with Punta Gorgeous, sold their home in Texas,
bought land and built a house in 2010 on Lido Drive. They joined
the PGIslanders and other clubs, traveled extensively and have had a
blast living here! One of the highlights of Richard's life was
serving as Commodore of the PGIslander's.
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| Birthday FUN ! |
Richard's
song for the PGIslanders is
Don't
worry, be happy! - GET A FUN METER!!!
Just
this summer, Richard & Joanne sold their sailboat, Eagle's Wings
and bought a 40 ft trawler, INDIGO STAR! They are busy learning her
operations, especially how to dock her!
Finally,
we have come to this SPECIAL MOMENT IN TIME and you can hear him
sing...NOW
THAT I'M 70, IT IS A VERY GOOD YEAR!
Richard,
we hope you can joyfully relate to the moments in your life and know
that we have benefitted from knowing you through each experience for
they have made you the wonderful husband, step-father, brother, cousin, uncle and
friend that you are! So even though it is an oldie, it is
appropriate that we end this with this song. HAPPY
BIRTHDAY TO YOU....
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