James Michael "Mike" Collins

James Michael “Mike” Collins, 81, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, August 11, 2022. He
was the husband of Susan Collins of Simpsonville, SC. They shared 14 years of loving marriage together.
Mike was born in Houston, Texas, and was the son of James Earnest Collins, Jr and Ruby Darlene Lacy
Collins. He attended Baylor University on a baseball scholarship and graduated in 1964. He received his
Doctor of Education from the University of Southern Mississippi in 1972.
He was a high school baseball coach, Sports Medicine Professor at Furman University, then Wellness
Director for St. Francis hospital. He had his own business as a motivational speaker and team building.
January of 2003 he was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident. He was able to overcome his
adversity with the help of physical therapists and friends to move his right hand to operate his
wheelchair and walk with the assistance of friends. He was dedicated to his workouts 2-days a week.
After the accident, he was an instructor for Greenville Technical College where he led reentry programs
for SC state prisons and taught many classes at Brookwood Church.
He is survived by his wife Susan Collins, and his children Shannon Collins Weis (Randy) of Richmond, Virginia
and Chad Collins (Sherry) of Marietta, Georgia, grandchildren Gaines, Collin, Gavin, and Pharoah, plus his
brother Stephen Allen Collins of Paia, Hawaii.
Mike was an active member of Brookwood Church. A celebration of life will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, August 26th at 580 Brookwood Place, Simpsonville, SC 29681.
Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Brookwood Church in the name of Mike Collins.