Thomas J. Collins

Thomas J. Collins, 64, of Walpole, died on Friday, July 22, 2016, at home surrounded by his loving family and cats.

He was a lifelong resident of Walpole.

Tom was a talented musician and loved playing his Les Paul guitar. He would play his guitar for hours on end. He also loved to discover new music and share this music with those he loved. Though a seemingly quiet person, Tom adored his "chit chats" with his wife and daughter about anything and everything, even more so if he could share any new facts he recently learned. He was also an avid Red Sox fan and had a soft spot for any type of animal, especially cats.

He was a machinist, welder, and metal fabricator. He worked for Payne Engineering in Canton, Parker Aerospace in Walpole, and most recently at MetFab Engineering in No. Attleboro for more than 25 years.

He was predeceased by his mother and father, Ethel (Oen) and Edward Collins and brothers, Robert Collins and Edward Collins. He is survived by his loving wife of 36 years, Mary Ann (Hall) Collins; daughter, Elizabeth Collins and her partner Paul Kerl of Somerville; siblings, Gerald Collins of Gray, ME, Patricia Hawkins of Dedham, Kathleen and Frank Nash of Scituate, John Collins and David Nicolls of Jersey City, NJ, Steven and Maria Collins of Hyde Park, and Maureen Hardin of Angier, NC. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, relatives, friends, and beloved cats, Ollie, Shelby, Leo, and Archie.

Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend Tom's Life Celebration on Tuesday, July 26, 2016 from 4-8PM and Wednesday, July 27, 2016 from 9-9:30AM in the James H. Delaney & Son Funeral Home, 48 Common Street, Walpole. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in Blessed Sacrament Church, 10 Diamond Street, Walpole on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 at 10:00 AM. Interment will follow in Saint Francis Cemetery in Walpole. In lieu of flowers, donations may be in Tom's name to the Walpole Scholarship Foundation, P.O Box 58, East Walpole, MA 02032, for a music scholarship or the ASPCA 424 E. 92nd St, New York, NY 10128-6804.