Johnnie Hubert Collins
1936—2023
Johnnie Hubert Collins, age 86, of Wittensville, Kentucky, departed this life Friday, April 21, 2023, at Highlands Appalachian Regional Hospital in Prestonsburg.
Hubert was born Aug. 19, 1936, in Johnson County to Johnnie Collins and Nola Spradlin Collins. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Bea Collins, one brother, James E. Collins, and one sister, Emma Hughes Harris.
Hubert is survived by one sister, Carol and husband Ray Magnifico of Lakewood, New Jersey; one sister-in-law, Connie Deniece Bayes of Hager Hill; brothers-in-law, Paul Dencil Daniel and wife Cathy of Wittensville, Theodore Darrel Daniel and wife Janet of Grove City, Ohio, and Roger Dean Daniel and wife Phyllis, of Wellston, Ohio. Ten nieces, five nephews and a host of great-nieces and great-nephews also survive.
Hubert graduated from Oil Springs High School and, following graduation, at the age of 18, began teaching grades 1-8 at Long Fork School under an emergency teaching certification. Under this same certification, he also taught fifth grade at Jenny’s Creek from 1957-1958.
He was drafted into the Army in 1959. Prior to his departure, he married Beatrice Joylene Collins on May 6, 1959. Following their nuptials, Hubert and Bea departed for Rapid City, South Dakota, where Hubert was stationed at the Rapid City Army Air Base. During his military service, he worked under a Master Sergeant, refereeing Army basketball games both on and off base. This began Hubert’s love of refereeing, a hobby he continued for more than 30 years.
Once Hubert was honorably discharged from the Army on Feb. 28, 1965, he and Bea returned to their native Johnson County. Hubert began selling cars for Carol Pelphrey and later David Estepp. He received his licenses as a real estate agent and auctioneer and opened his own business, Collins Auto Sales & Real Estate. Soon after, he attended Morehead State University while maintaining his business. Hubert graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1969 and a Master of Arts in Education in 1971. Hubert began teaching in the Johnson County School System, where he taught health and physical education, including the DARE program, until he retired in 2002. He loved his students, and that love was reciprocated.
Hubert had a desire to serve the citizens of District 97 as their State Representative. He was elected to the General Assembly in 1991 and served 26 consecutive years. Twenty of those years he was elected by his colleagues as the Chair of the House Transportation Committee. He also served on the Education and the Natural Resources and Environment Committees. Hubert was respected by his colleagues in the House and Senate, Republicans and Democrats alike. He was an effective legislator, building trusting relationships on both sides of the aisle, working effectively on legislation that would improve conditions for Eastern Kentucky, and was responsive to the needs of his constituents. Throughout his 26 years of service, he sponsored hundreds of bills and brought millions of dollars back to his District. He was proud to be a member of the Eastern Kentucky Caucus, which included other Representatives such as Greg Stumbo, Rocky Adkins, John Will Stacy and Robin Webb, among others. They were a force to be reckoned with.
Hubert was affectionately known to many as Hubie, including his friends and colleagues in Frankfort. Hubie was always easy to spot in the halls of the Capitol building and on the House Floor. Not because his voice was loud but because his sport coats were! He had one in every color and was in a continual contest with Representative Brent Yonts for who could wear the brightest color! Yellow, Red, Royal Blue, Purple – Hubie had them all! Being a “sharped dressed man” was always his goal – his sister Carol recounts that he would give her a nickel to hold his shoes while he shined them perfectly.
He loved having kids from Johnson County serve as pages on the House Floor. It was the perfect combination of his two professional loves – education and being a State Representative.
When the General Assembly begins its session each January, it’s basketball season! Hubert had season tickets to UK basketball games and often had an extra ticket, especially to the weeknight games. He would often call one of his nieces, Leslie or Lisa, to accompany him. The girls loved getting that call and enjoyed spending time with their Uncle Hubert.
Hubert, Hubie, Uncle Hubert was a man loved by many. He will be missed by all who knew him. But he is reunited with his love and probably wearing a bright-colored sport coat, so we will all know it is him when we see him in Heaven.
Funeral services were conducted Wednesday, April 26, 2023, in the Jones-Preston Funeral Chapel with James Kelly Caudill officiating. Burial was at Highland Memorial Park, Staffordsville.