Obituary for Nate Collins

Nate Collins

August 15, 2004 – April 27, 2023

Nate T. Collins, 18, passed away Thursday morning in Ponca City, OK. Nate was born on August 15, 2004 in Ponca City, to Kayla Burgess and Bruce Collins. He was a wonderful surprise. Nate is a descendent of George Gives Waters, Sun Dance Priest of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma. Nate is an enrolled member of Kaw Nation of Oklahoma. Descendent of the Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma and Otoe-Missouria Tribe of Oklahoma. He is descendent of the Wa-keh heh-beh (Half Breed clan) of the Ponca Tribe.

Nate graduated from Ponca City High School in 2022. He was an accomplished athlete. Nate enjoyed playing basketball during off season for football. Nate showed his abilities very early on in life by his first steps. He was practicing his footwork in the backyard. Nate was selected to play for the All-State team of 2022, where he represented the Eastern region of Oklahoma. Nate signed and played for KWU his freshman season of college. He was also developing a passion for writing while in college.

He took time off and began work at A-line TDS in Tonkawa. While at A-Line, he quickly made several friends making close connections with them and always had a great work story to tell in only the way Nate could tell a story. Nate enjoyed taking on learning opportunities so he was excited about training to become a heavy equipment operator. His plans were to return to school in fall of 2023.

When he was much younger, he enjoyed dancing with his dad, brothers, cousins, and uncles. He was a Collins family Drum maker alongside his Dad, uncle Robert, and numerous other uncles and cousins. BIG Nate LOVED spending time with family and especially, his friends he considered family. Not a day would go by he didn’t come home and say I’m going to hang with the bro’s mom or dad. He loved to workout and experiment in the kitchen especially with his giant bottle of cayenne pepper. Nate was full of life and positivity. He had an infectious smile and contagious laugh. Nate gave excellent words of advice to the underclassmen, which is good advice to live by “Enjoy it while it lasts because it goes by fast” -Big Nate-

Nate is preceded in death by: his paternal grandparents, Viola Ann Collins, and Henry T. Collins; his maternal grandmother, Patricia Nell LeClair; his uncles, Big Wes Collins and Jason Bufflohead; his big brother, Henry Vincente; his sister, Allana BuffaloHead.

He is survived by: his parents, Kayla Burgess and Bruce Collins; his brother, Lil’ Robert; his sisters, Calissa and Keeya Collins, of the home, Mee-Kai Collins, Larissa and Ashlynn Delodge, and RaeLynn Reyna, all of Ponca City; his brothers, Wesley, Justin, and Henry Collins of Ponca City, Joseph Goodfox of Hominy, Gabriel and Xavier Reyna, Braxton Leclair of Ponca City, Byson Eagle of Nebraska; his uncle, Robert and Chisa Collins of Ponca City, Jennie Collins of Ponca City, Kyshia LeClair of Ponca City, Jennifer and Jerry Reyna of Ponca City, Alice and Joe Goodfox of Hominy, Pete and Jenny BuffaloHead of Ponca City; aunts ,Tiffany and Joe LeClair of Ponca City, Alisa and Griselda Eagle of Nebraska, Anitra and Travis Mallory of Nebraska, Tara and Matt Baker of Nebraska, Desiree and Antonio Diaz of Nebraska; grandma, Sandra and grandpa, Ken Lay of Ponca City, and grandpa, Jimmy Burgess of Stillwater. He is also survived by many extended family and friends to cherish and honor his memory. #LLBN

Casket Bearers: Wesley Collins, Justin Collins, Joseph Goodfox, Henry Collins, Spencer Arkeketa III, Scotty Simpson III, Bryson Eagle, Sylas Long. Honorary Casket Bearers: Lane Scholey, Elijah Phillips, Alex Hodges, Landon Newlin, Tabron Stanton, Grant Harmon, Marshaun Webb, Rayden Agee, Devon Killscrow, Devin Zimmerschied, Trey Seward, Hayden LeClair, Geronimo Quilimaco Jr,

A Funeral Ceremony will be held at the White Eagle Cultural Center, 230 White Eagle Drive, White Eagle, OK, 74601 on Monday May 1, 2023. Traditional Noon feast with services to follow at 2:00 PM, with Reverend Jim White of Ponca Indian Methodist Church officiating. Burial will be at the Ponca Tribal Cemetery. Arrangements are under the direction of Trout Funeral Home, 505 W. Grand Ave., Ponca City, OK, 74601.

Source: Trout Funeral Home