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On this page you can find out a bit more about Ace away from his writing. If you click on the images you can view them in a larger format.
Ace and his wife Kathy have two sons, Clint, 27, a graduate of Baylor University and Rance, 20, a junior at Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia, Arkansas. Clint is involved in the restaurant business and is an incredible musician. Rance is a mass communication major who has already made six feature length films and produces a live internet talk show. Kathy is a former teacher and principal who now teaches in the education department at OBU. The family is also proud of their granddaughter, Aidan, who is ten and is likely the smartest girl in Virginia.
Ace's given name is Andrew. He was saddled with Ace during his college days when he won a heart's competition by making a run. The last card he played was the Ace of Hearts.
He and Kathy Chapman Collins have been married for 33 years. She was either the first or second woman he met at college. As she is an identical twin, he couldn't tell the girls apart to know who he saw first.
Ace has always been a car lover, he has owned several Mustangs, including a 65 Fastback that he still drives, as well as cars from the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s. On the left at the Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg Museum, Ace is shown with a famous SJ Desenberg. The oldest car he has ever owned and driven is on the right. It is a 1917 Model T Speedster. Shown with it is a 1950s Shriners' go cart.
Pets are a very important part of the family and the current members of the household are T.C., a four-year-old cat who gets along well with our dog. Baby, the daughter of Lassie IX and sister of the new Lassie is in the middle photo. She is three. And Buffy, a cat that adopted us and who is twelve, is shown on her chair. Another wonderful addition has been Tiger, a stray kitten, we bottle fed.
Beyond classic cars, the family collects 1930s and 1940s movie memorabilia, Coke and other soft drink items and almost anything related to rock and roll music. Ace's office walls are filled with movie star autographs, photographs and posters. The Collins' also have a game room decorated like a 1950s Malt Shop. Inside the room you will find a working 1949 nickel Coke machine, a Coca-Cola soda bar, a 1936 neon Coke sign and a 1959 Wurlitzer Juke Box. Everthing works and the family often eats or plays games in the booth.
Collins, pictured here at the Chinese Theater in Hollywood next to Jean Harlow's hand and footprints, has long been a fan of the late actress. He has a number of Harlow's personal affects, including clothing, a clock and jewelry, as well as many posters and photos. His collection includes six real Harlow autographs and numerous books and magazines covering the life of the movie icon.
Ace Collins is also a huge college sports fan, especially basketball, loves old movies, well written comedy and drama television programming, and has a large collection of old radio series from the 1930s-1950s. He runs and bikes. Ace enjoys visits to antique malls with his wife. His favorite spot in the world is located in the Arkansas Ozarks.
