JASPER, GA, USA U.S. Army SGT, HHC, 1ST BATTALION, 506TH INFANTRY, 4 BCT, FORT CAMPBELL, KY AR RAMADI, IRAQ 04/09/2006
Army Sergeant David S. Collins of Jasper, Georgia, died in Ar Ramadi, Iraq, when an improvised explosive device detonated near his combat vehicle during combat operations. This was his second Iraq tour and he was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 506th Infantry Regiment, 4th Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault), Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He died on April 9, 2006. It was Palm Sunday. He was twenty-four years old.
David Collins was a husband, a father, and a son. He was a man who lived fast and drove faster! David had an amazing personality and always looked for the fun and thrills in life. He leaves behind a wife and two beautiful children. His children are the largest part of his legacy. His love for them was deep and endless. He will always be remembered for his smile, his crazy sense of humor, and his strong loyalty to family and friends. He wanted to protect his family and keep our homes a safe place to be. He believed in this to the end.
He married Cony High School graduate Mara Flanagan Collins, Sept. 16, 2002. David is survived by Mara and their two children, Elizabeth, 2, and James, 6 months at the time of his death. David leaves behind family in Georgia including his mother and stepfather, Lynn and Brian Dean; father and stepmother Sammy and Tammy Collins; and siblings Chris Collins, Johnson Collins and Kassie Dean. Family meant everything to David and he meant everything to his family. David encouraged family with his patience, love and willingness to live fully.
To mark David’s legacy Georgia State House Resolution 88 dedicated the SGT David Samuel Collins Memorial Interchange. The interchange is just beyond the intersection of State Route 515 and Philadelphia Road, Pickens County, Georgia where David grew up.