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Pioneer Alaskan Clifford W. “Ampa” Collins was born on February 21, 1911, in Emporia, Kansas. On November 1, 2003, at his home in Cordova and with his wife Jewel at his side, Cliff, 92, exchanged this life for his new home in Heaven. |
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Cliff graduated from Emporia High School with honors in 1929, and then attended Kansas State College majoring in Business Administration. After starting a real estate business in 1932, he met Jewel Fisher and they were married January 29, 1933. They moved to Pocatello, Idaho, with three-year old son, Phillip, in 1937. March 1939 found the family of three arriving in Cordova, Alaska, on the steamship “S. S. Yukon.” From 1941 through 1947 their livelihood was met by commercial fishing. Later they operated Collins Jewelry and Photocraft Store until the disastrous city fire in 1963. Cliff then went into the insurance business and remained until retirement. |
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Early in their Alaska history, aviation became very important to the Collins’ family. An Aeronca Champ gave them their first taste of the Great Land but a PA-14 on wheels, skis and floats became Cliff’s preferred tool by which he and his family enjoyed access to Alaska and the beauty of flying. This brought Cliff and Jewel to a homestead in the Chitina valley on Long Lake. Even while working the insurance business, being active in Masonic Lodge and Eastern Star, flying search and rescue missions for the Alaska Civil Air Patrol and handling the CAP radio traffic, Cliff and Jewel found time to clear land and build a summer home in one of the most beautiful places in Alaska. The Long Lake homestead continued to be Cliff’s pride and joy into the fall of 2003. Cliff enjoyed gardening, banding swallows, hunting, fishing, tending a salmon weir, and being very active all through his 80's and into his 91st year. |
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Cliff has left a blessed heritage for his many friends. As was read by long-time friend Steve Alexander at a memorial service held on November 7th at Cordova Community Baptist church: A factual history of Cliff Collins, our friend and “Ampa,” may not be long remembered in the course of this world, but, like his new life in Heaven, our appreciation of and gratefulness for our time with him is eternal. |
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The family said of Cliff: It’s hard to put a finger on what made “Ampa” such a unique individual. His smile, generosity and hospitality were legendary. There was just something about him, and those whose lives he touched are forever enriched. |
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Cliff is survived by his wife of 70 years, Jewel; son and daughter-in-law, Philip and Carolyn Collins – all residing in Cordova; granddaughter, Karen and husband Cary Strahan of Wasilla; grandson, Mike Collins and his wife Kari of Big Lake; and great-grandson, Josh Collins, 16; great-granddaughters, Sharayah Dollente, 12, and Faith Collins, 16 months. |
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A second memorial service will be May 30 at the family’s summer home at Long Lake during the 41st annual Collins’ Memorial Day Fly-In Breakfast. |