James Andrew Collins (Southeast)

James Andrew “Sonny” Collins, age 77 of Finchville, Kentucky passed Thursday, July 18, 2024, at home surrounded by family. Sonny was a 1967 graduate of Carrie Dotson High School, Grenada, MS. He earned his BS degree in Health and Physical Education with a minor in Mathematics from Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, MS. Later he attended the University of Louisville, earned 26 hours towards a master’s degree in mathematics( 4 hours short of graduating) and spent three years at Western Kentucky University in teacher education training. Sonny worked thirty-four years for Jefferson County Public Schools. Several of these locations included Barret Traditional Middle, Butler Traditional High School, Newburg Middle School, and Western Middle School. Following retirement, he drove a school bus for Jefferson County Public Schools for quite a few years. As a young boy, he was baptized and gave his life to Christ in Tie Plant, Mississippi. He attended church regularly with his mother figure, Mrs. Louise Cobb since it was a requirement rather than a choice. Before experiencing problems with his legs, he served on ad hoc committees at Forest Tabernacle Baptist Church, Louisville, KY, as an usher, and in the finance department at Clay Street Baptist Church, Shelbyville, KY. He is known for his love of riding and repairing Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In his free time, he enjoyed talking “shop” and taking road trips with members of the State Burners Motorcycle Club. Cooking greens of any kind, making pepper sauce, canning pear jelly, and grilling were favorite activities that he showed off. His friends grew accustomed to eating his greens and meat from the grill. Men and women who hung around him became family. Family and friends observed that he could fix a wide variety of machinery and cars and grew to depend on him as their mechanic. He passed this skill on to his son, Michael. Watching old classic and newer-style western TV shows, listening to the Blues, and hanging out in the barn with his sons brought him many happy times. Sonny is preceded in death by his parents, Annie Lee and Jeff Hurd; sisters Louise Cobb and Ella Mae Clay; brother, John Wright; aunt, William Etta Harbin; and other aunts and uncles. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Rev. Dr. Wanda Lott Collins; two sons; Lemuel Keith Collins and Michael Brent Collins, and four grandchildren; Audair Mitchell Collins, Kylon Andrew Collins, Garrick Jawun Collins, Jayonna Michelle Collins, one great-grandchild; Kodah Mitchell and a village of other family and friends. Visitation: 10am-12pm Thursday, July 25, 2024 at Historic Second Baptist Church, 70 Rev. Charles Burton Way Taylorsville, KY., funeral service to follow at 12pm. Burial: Grove Hill Cemetery, 458 Mt. Eden Rd. Shelbyville, KY.

James Andrew Collins (Southeast)

September 11, 1947 - July 18, 2024