Samuel Wayne Collins

Samuel Wayne Collins, 70, of Westmoreland, Kansas, died Sunday, March 5, 2023, at the Community Hospital in Onaga. He was a life-long resident of the area.

Sam was born January 22, 1953, in Wamego, Kansas, the son of Ivan Eugene and Loretta (Wagner) Collins. He attended local grade school and graduated from Manhattan High School in 1971. Sam earned an Eagle Scout rank in the Boy Scouts of America. He attended Kansas State University and studied finance.

Sam worked thirty-nine years for the Postal Service in Manhattan. In addition to being a clerk, Sam was responsible for a variety of different tasks while at the post office, including passports, servicing stamp machines, and many other behind-the-scenes jobs. Sam retired from the Postal Service in 2013.

Sam was an avid baseball fan. He coached little league baseball in Westmoreland for many years, was a true Royals fan, watching every game possible, even when the team was doing poorly. He also enjoyed all K-State sports, playing golf, and the Chiefs. Sam loved going to Colorado to be in the mountains. His father-in-law and brother’s-in-law encouraged Sam’s love for building with wood, and they shared many building projects. Sam was very good with numbers and figures and enjoyed dabbling in the Stock Market.

Sam married Cynthia Prockish on September 6, 1986, in Westmoreland. She survives at their home.

Sam is also survived by his son, Justin Collins, Kansas City, Missouri; his brothers, Tim Collins (Della), Portsmouth, Virginia, and Mike Collins, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; his brother-in-law, Barry Linn (Manhattan); his aunts and uncles, Bill Wagner, Garden City, Dorothy Westerdale, Pomona, California, Tom Wagner (Joan), Marvin, South Dakota, and Ann Bellinder, Manhattan; his sister-in-law, Lori Buss (Bob), Westmoreland; and brother’s-in-law, Joe Prockish (Nancy), Westmoreland, Tim Prockish (Anna), Salina, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Sam was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Nancy Linn.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Campanella and Stewart Funeral Home in Wamego. Burial will follow at Westmoreland City Cemetery. Sam will lie-in-state beginning at 3:00 pm, on Monday, March 13th and the family will greet friends from 6:00 pm until 8:00 pm. They suggest memorial contributions to Rock Creek Recreation, to be used for youth baseball in Westmoreland, and those may be sent in care of the funeral home. Online condolences may be made at www.campanellastewart.com.