Thomas Collins Obituary, Death – Thomas John “T.J.” Collins was born in Gurnee, Illinois, on December 26, 1995. His teachers and instructors all recognized him as a precocious youngster who excelled in virtually every endeavor. He participated in nearly all juvenile sports. Although he readily acknowledged that he did not possess exceptional athletic prowess, T.J. was unrivaled in his comprehension of the necessary strategies and tactics to achieve victory. Particularly captivated, he decided to make golf his varsity sport. Academically, T.J. was an exceptional individual; he was a rare natural student who also worked diligently.
He never considered himself a mere participant; in all that he did, he assumed a leadership role. As the leader of Illinois Premier Boys State, T.J. received a multitude of accolades and was subsequently invited along with two senators to Boys Nation in Washington, D.C., where he had the opportunity to interact with numerous elected officials, including the President of the United States. T.J. served for several years as a post-graduate counselor for the program, of which he was extremely proud. Following graduation from high school, T.J. attended Georgetown University, the University of Texas at Austin School of Law, where he held the esteemed position of associate editor of the Texas Law Review. Although he briefly resided in New York and Washington, D.C., he made every effort to reach Texas as soon as possible.
He subsequently persuaded his family members to travel to Texas as well. Amidst the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, T.J. encouraged his closest friend, Weldon Sloan, to take up golf during his third year of law school. They engaged in weekly practices and games in Manor, Texas, a location devoid of any indications of COVID-19. As a result of T.J.’s excellence as a recreational golfer, the golf practice paid off, and golf became his preferred professional pastime. Following his graduation from law school, T.J. commenced his professional employment as a transactional attorney specializing in mergers and acquisitions at the Kirkland & Ellis law firm in Dallas. After befriending numerous individuals at Kirkland, he subsequently commenced employment at the FDLaw firm (Frederic Dorwart, Lawyers), situated in Dallas as well.
At FDLaw, T.J. fell in love with both the work and the people. He felt as though he had discovered his legal home immediately.
However, the pivotal moment in T.J.’s existence occurred upon his encounter with Ms. Kymerlyn Riley. The two individuals developed an instant rapport, and T.J. ultimately managed to persuade Kym to adopt the alias Kym Collins. The nuptials of Kym and T.J. was the most exquisite in Canyon Lake, Texas. T.J. expeditiously communicated to all individuals that Kym bore sole responsibility for each and every aspect pertaining to the fantastical occasion. T.J. and Kym welcomed the most endearing Golden Retriever, Nyx, into their household, where they proceeded to share an extraordinary existence. Although T.J. was pleased with his professional accomplishments, his deepest pride belonged to Kym, his extraordinary soulmate.
His grandfathers, Thomas Collins and Hans Pfendert; grandmother, Mabel Collins; uncle, Trevor Collins; grandmother-in-law, Pearlene Higgins; and grandfather-in-law, McKinley Riley, Jr. were all deceased before T.J. His adoring spouse, Kymerlyn Collins, his parents, Edward and Susan Collins, his sister, Kassidy Collins, his grandmother, Gerda Pfendert, his canine companion, Nyx Collins, his brother-in-law Braun Higgins, his grandparents-in-law Johnnie Higgins, and his parents-in-law Kendric and Kimberly Higgins are among those left to mourn his passing. Additionally, there are a multitude of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
