Kevin F. Collins, 83, of Butler passed away Wednesday at the Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

Kevin took great pride in his family and his work. He overcame alcoholism in the mid-1970s, which allowed him to truly experience and enjoy both.

He always had a passion for reading, and he traveled far and wide with his wife, Pat, to visit family or to touch the places that he had read about — the Soviet Union, China, Egypt and Europe.

Kevin was born Aug. 31, 1933, in Kansas City to Frank and Marie Collins.

He graduated from Rockhurst College with a degree in chemistry, and after a stint in the Army, he began his career with Armco in the chem lab at the Sheffield Steel Division in Kansas City.

He later moved to the research lab in Middletown, Ohio, before making Butler his home in the early 1960s. Kevin collaborated in the development of several new steel alloys and processes during his career.

He eventually became the Senior Metallurgist at the Butler Works. He seemed to know everybody at the plant — not just each person's name, but who they were related to and something about them beyond Armco.

Caring for his wife as she developed Alzheimer's became Kevin's focus late in life, even as his own struggle with Parkinson's became more difficult.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Pat; his brother, Con; his sons and daughters-in-law, Kevin (Laura), Brian (Margie), Bert (Angie) and Eric; as well as six grandchildren, Ryan, Erin (Keith Lemons), Sean, Kristen, Ana and Grant. They are scattered throughout the U.S. and abroad on any given day.

COLLINS — Family and friends of Kevin F. Collins, who died Wednesday, July 19, 2017, will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Geibel Funeral Home, 201 E. Cunningham St., Butler.A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday at the St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church, 432 Center Ave., Butler. Interment will follow at the St. Michael Cemetery.For more information or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.geibelfuneralhome.com.