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PLACITAS, N.M. - Ashton B. Collins, Jr., of Placitas, former resident of Riverside and Greenwich for nearly 30 years, died Oct. 2. He was 82.
Collins was born March 28, 1932, in Birmingham, Ala., to Ashton B. and Hughie Beatty Collins. He was educated at Kent School, Kent, Conn., and held a BA in economics from Cornell University. He served in the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command as flight engineer in the B-36H.
In 1958 he joined Reddy Kilowatt, Inc., founded by his father, becoming chairman and CEO. Working in the Greenwich Conn., office until 1984, he oversaw the company's transition from a trademark licensing firm to a consulting practice, Reddy Corporation International, helping electric utilities worldwide with public relations and technical issues. He served on the board of directors of Thomas Alva Edison Foundation, the National Foundation for Sudden Infant Death and New Mexico Public Service where he was chairman. He was the current chairman of the board of the New Mexico Utility Shareholders Alliance. Moving to New Mexico, he became a flight instructor with the Albuquerque Soaring Club.
Collins is survived by his wife, Susan of Placitas; son, Ashton B. Collins, III and family, Nancy L. Paine and Ashton B. Collins, IV of Dallas, Texas; brother, C. Beatty Collins (Helen) of Sarasota, Fla.; and his former wife, Libby Collins of Riverside Conn.
No service details were available.
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