Terry T. Collins

Last Updated on September 24, 2026 by Cass County Communication Network

Terry Tony Collins, 88, of Walton, passed away peacefully at home with family by his side, Friday evening, September 18, 2026, at 5:50 p.m.  He was born August 3, 1938, in Clay County, Indiana to Anthony (Tony) Wayne and Pauline Louise (Emmert) Collins.   He married Janet Elaine Powell on December 21, 1957, and she survives.

Terry was a proud Cory Apple Boy during his high school years, playing both basketball and trumpet in the band. He was one of the few who played the first half of the ball game and then his trumpet at halftime before finishing the game. Intending to be a truck driver after graduation, Terry competed in the Teenage Rodeo Derby where he won at both the school, county, and finally state level where he received a scholarship to the college of his choice. Therefore, Terry attended and graduated from Indiana State University in 1960 in music education and received his master’s degree in 1965.  He served as the Band Director at Lewis Cass Jr/Sr High School for 22 years retiring in 1993.  During his tenure at Lewis Cass he was proud to lead the Marching Kings to several state championships and went on many band trips.  Before teaching at Lewis Cass he served in the music departments in Knox, Indiana for 8 years and Wheatfield, Indiana for 3 years, where he had to stoke the wood burning stove and was accompanied by his beloved wife, Janet, who played the piano for his classes.  He was the President of N.I.S.B.O.V.A. (now I.S.S.M.A.) and member of Phi Beta Mu Gamma, where he was recently inducted into the Hall of Fame. Terry also enjoyed working in the Auto Business for 30 years starting in 1964 at the Ford Dealership in Knox. In 1970 he moved his family to Walton where he taught during the day and landscaped Walton Woods in the evenings, summers, and weekends.  In true Terry Collins fashion, while teaching, he took the entrepreneurial leap in 1977 starting his own auto sales business named Collins Tip Top Motor sales. After closing the dealership in 1986. He worked at Shepherds in Peru, where he was part owner, and Shepherds Rochester up until his retirement from automotive sales in 1995.   Following in his parents’ footsteps, in 1991, he took on a new venture and designed an executive golf course that would become Walton’s Little Mountain golf course. He enjoyed serving the public, through many holiday golf tournaments and hosting the Lewis Cass golf team for 22 years. This was until running a golf course was a little more than a 74 year old man wanted to handle.  However, a true salesman at heart, he continued buying and selling golf carts through his, yet again, new entrepreneur venture named Walton’s Little Mountain Golf Cart Sales, right up to this year.  Terry was a member of the Young America Lions Club, Kiwanis of Rochester and the Walton United Methodist Church.

Surviving family include his wife Janet of 68 years, his children, Scot Alan Collins of Mountain View, Missouri and Stacey Ann Donato of Logansport.  He is also survived by six grandchildren, Alicia Shannon (Robertson), A.J. Donato, John Collins, Jared Ludlow, Jordan Collins, Sarah Ludlow. He is survived by 4 great grandchildren, Victor and Claire Shannon, Josephine Ludlow, and Lennie Donato. He is survived by one brother, Casey Collins of Cory, Indiana.  Terry is preceded in death by his parents and 1 brother.

Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Saturday, September 26, 2026, at United in Faith Church, 515 S. Maple St. Galveston, Indiana.  Funeral services will take place immediately following at 2:00 p.m. with Pastor John Landes officiating.  Burial will follow in the Walton IOOF Cemetery in Walton, Indiana.   Memorial contributions may be given to the Walton United Methodist Church in Terry’s memory. Murray Weaver Funeral Home is honored to serve the Collins family. www.murrayweaverfuneralhome.com