Andrew Bliss Collins, 78, of New Castle Road, Slippery Rock Township, passed away at 5:15 a.m. Friday at his home.

He was born March 24, 1935, in Moatsville, W.Va., to John M. Collins and Juanita Grace (Colebank) Collins.

He married Betty Jane Monahan on Nov. 6, 1954.

He was a Protestant.

He was a career U.S. Army soldier, retiring in 1973 as a master sergeant E-8. He served tours in both Korea and Vietnam. Andrew was part of the “Infant Nett Team,” which developed helicopter technology using cameras and TV monitors from Hughes to fly in the nighttime. This technology was later used in Vietnam. He also was a part of the development team at the U.S. Army Transportation School, teaching students how to maintain the Apache (Cobra) helicopter.

He later worked delivering and setting up mobile homes for Jimmy's in Portersville, George Kerr Mobile Homes in Butler and Reed Mobile Homes in Zelienople. He retired for three years and then went to work for the Auto Auction in Mercer for 10 years, retiring in December 2009.

He is survived by his wife, Betty Jane Collins; one sister, Doris Jean Turk of Taneytown, Md.; two brothers, Lawrence E. (Claudia) Collins of Carlisle and John Joseph (Julie) Collins of Moatsville; one half-brother, Dorsey (Sandra) Davis of Grafton, W.Va.; one half-sister, Sandra (Richard) Pinnel of Grafton; and a number of nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents; one brother, Thomas Collins, and his wife, Donna; and one sister, Judith Hester Rice.

COLLINS — Visitation for Andrew Bliss Collins, who died Friday, Oct. 11, 2013, will be Monday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Smith Funeral Home, 421 New Castle St., Slippery Rock. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home with the Rev. Jim Lewis officiating.