Arline D. Collins, 89

UNION, Maine— Arline D. Collins, 89, of Union, Maine, passed away March 8, 2018, at Harbor Hill, Belfast, Maine.  She was born Jan. 14, 1929, in Porter, Maine, to David W. Davidson and Florence M. Cousins Davidson.

Arline grew up in the Conway, New Hampshire, area, where she graduated from Kennett High School in 1946. During World War II, while still in school, she joined the Civil Air Patrol. She loved flying but never dared to solo to obtain her pilot's license.  After high school, she attended Boston University.  

When the fire of 1947 was burning much of the nearby town of Brownfield, Maine, she worked with the Red Cross to provide food and assistance to the town and firefighters. She told of a time when she and her grandmother drove from South Conway to Brownfield with flames and fire licking their car from both sides of the road. It was here she met a young man sent from the Navy Base in Newport, Rhode Island, to assist in fighting the fire. A girl friend asked if she would like to double date. When the young men pulled up to meet them. Arline quickly assessed who she wanted to be with (date) and quickly jumped in beside him. Two years later, she married George P. Collins.

George and Arline moved to Bristol, New Hampshire, in 1960, where she was a kindergarten teacher, summer leader at the Bristol Community Center, and later became the assistant director when her husband, George, became director of the Bristol Community Center. She and George also were active as Cub Scout and later Boy Scouts leaders. When their daughter, Pam, was 8, they started the local 4-H chapter in Bristol. In 1970, she accepted the job as secretary at Newfound Memorial High School, where she worked until her retirement. She and her husband, George, always put their hearts and souls into helping young people and touched many lives through the years.

After retirement as secretary, she opened Sugar House Crafts, where she sold her creations of fiber and wood. As a lifelong learner, she never stopped her pursuit of knowledge. She loved fiber and taught herself to weave and spin.  She had a personal computer from the first, when basic programming was needed to make it function, and stayed up to date with modern technology.  Growing up listening to ball games on the radio with her grandmother,  she remained an avid Red Socks fan and later, enjoyed watching the Patriots. Loving a challenge, she went to bat against the IRS and won!

In 1990, George and Arline designed, built and enjoyed their retirement home in Union  near their family. George passed in 2002. Arline is survived by her son, George P. Collins and his wife, Beth; daughter, Pam Collins White and  her husband, Kevin, and her daughter, Elspeth Collins. Grandchildren are Joseph White and his wife Lindsey, and Hillary W. Thibodeau and her husband, Wayne. Great-grandchildren are Thomas and Theodore White, and Georgia and Jacqui Thibodeau, all of Maine. Also, sister Anne Parker and husband, Les, of Glen, New Hampshire; and many nieces and nephews.

Her laugh and sense of humor will be sorely missed by all that knew her.  A  celebration of her life will be held at The Bayside Cemetery, in Laconia, New Hampshire, this spring.

In honor of in her memory may be made to Heifer International.   Gifts may be donated online at https://fundraise.heifer.org/arlinecollins  or checks may be sent to Heifer International, Attn: Donor Services, P.O. Box 8058, Little Rock, AR 72203.

Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant St., Laconia, is assisting the family with the arrangements.  For more information and to view an online memorial, go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.