Born in Evanston, Illinois, on September 19th, 1937, the son of John Michael Kohler III and Julilly House Kohler, Collins was the grandson of Walter J. and Charlotte Kohler, and Mary Lilly and William Henry House.

Collins attended Kohler Public Schools before graduating from Phillips Andover Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, in 1955. He went on to Harvard University, where he was elected President of DU Club 1958-59 and membership in the Signet Society, graduating with a BA degree in Economics in 1959. He married Elaine Humphreys in 1961.

As an undergraduate and graduate student, he participated in several archaeological excavations in the late 1950s and early 1960s at the ancient Lydian site of Sardis, Turkey, led by Harvard and Cornell Universities under Prof. George M.A. Hanfmann.

Tragically, he was unable to complete his excavation efforts or his PhD studies due to his struggle with mental illness. Though he subsequently earned his MA in Fine Arts from Harvard in 1964, his life course shifted away from archaeology ... eventually he moved back to Wisconsin; the marriage ended; a more cloistered path began.

Despite his changed life story, Collins' devotion to the history of classical art and archeology continued and he sustained a lifelong devotion to the study of literature, history and philosophy. He was committed to all things which were, in his words, "noble and enlightening" and "distinquished and humane."

While living in Sheboygan County, he wrote poetry and photographed his beloved Wisconsin countryside with feeling and sensitivity. His creativity in both these areas was prodigious for many years, despite the constrictions of mental illness. This website is a testament to that creativity.

Consistent with his kind nature and compassionate spirit, Collins aided numerous philanthropic organizations dedicated to promoting peace, improving the lives of those in need, and "helping the underdog." His contributions extended from international to local levels, including Sheboygan's Bookworm Gardens in memory of his mother, Julilly House Kohler, a believer in the beneficial power of children being exposed to good books and beauty in gardens and nature.

Collins was a gentle, discerning individual who made a difference in his family and to the world through his thoughtful, ongoing Love of the Good.