Saratoga Springs, NY - Donald (D.A.) Agnew Collins, of South Collins Terrace, founder of D.A. Construction, passed away Friday (Oct. 1, 2010) at his residence. He was 93. Born on June 27, 1917 in Mechanicville, NY, he was a son of the late Harvey Randall and Jennette (Martin) Collins, he was a 1935 graduate of Mechanicville High School. He received his degree in civil engineering from Union College in 1941 and later earned his professional engineering license. While working for Turner Bros. Construction at the Rome, NY Air Force Base, he met his future wife. Following completion of the air base, he enlisted as an officer ("by an act of Congress") in the US Navy as a lieutenant in the Construction Corps., known as the Sea Bees, having served in the Aleutian Islands and Okinawa. His loyalty and love was first to his family, yet a close second was to become his company. The D.A. Collins Construction Company, Inc., was established in 1948 in a backroom behind the kitchen at 46 Green Street in Mechanicville and began with its first job being dam repairs in Wells, NY. His sole piece of equipment was a combination pickup/rack truck. His wife, Betty kept the books, and as the early years weren't lucrative, every penny had to be watched, a habit he knew well from the Great Depression. Early projects included Central Avenue and the Housing project in Mechanicville and bridges in the Adirondacks, where concrete was flown in by helicopter in 1948-49. D.A. Collins also constructed many cross town roads and bridges in Albany, Schenectady and Troy, numerous sections of the NYS Thruway and Adirondack Northway, including the first section, the Glens Falls bypass. Collins' expertise was difficult bridges and where he excelled the most, such as the Schenectady Gateway and Congress Street Bridge in Troy. There were few times that he was the sole bidder, an example of this was the largest job in upstate NY of its time, a 35 million dollar project, the Lark Dove arterial, a four level directional interchange in Albany. Ten years later in 1958, he completed the Northway's twins bridges and it won design awards for that year, which of course was done by the state of New York. He later developed Birch Run in Saratoga Springs, the first condominium complex in this area of the state, originally meeting great opposition from the public. The corporation consists of companies including Kubricky Construction, Pallette Stone and Jointa-Galusha. A charter member of the Saratoga County Planning Board since its inception, he was a past president of the Mechanicville Country Club. He was a volunteer member of the D.E. La Dow Steamer & Hose Company #2 in Mechanicville, the Lake Placid Club, a director of the Royal Palm Yacht & Country Club, holding the position of Rear Admiral in Boca Raton, FL, Woolferts Roost Country Club and the Saratoga Golf and Polo Club. He was a member of the Associated General Contractors NYS Assoc. of General Contractors and a past member of the State Bank Advisory Board. He was a member of the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church for over 25 years and a former member of the United Methodist Church for over 60 years. He started as a Free and Accepted Masons of the state of New York. In 1949, having been raised to Sublime degree of Master Mason and he rose to become a "Jester". The owner of Halfmoon Stables for harness horses, he owned two prominent horses, Lehi Rainbow was Horse of the year at Saratoga Raceway and Jackhammer, a NY Sire stakes horse. He loved playing golf and gin rummy. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his wife, Betty (Shaver) Collins, who died March 18, 2006; one granddaughter, Michal Longe Matthews and his siblings, Pauline Wygant, Lillian, Louise, William, Edward, Robert and Lewis Collins, Edna Russom and Alys Sibley. Survivors include his children, Barbara Longe of Clearwater, FL and Donald and Karen Collins of Saratoga Springs; his grandchildren, Kara, Daniel, Kristy and David Collins and 4 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Services will be conducted at 10am Monday at the Saratoga Springs United Methodist Church, 175 Fifth Avenue at Henning Road. Burial with military honors will follow at the family plot in Hudson View Cemetery, Mechanicville. Arrangements are under the direction of the William J. Burke & Sons/Bussing & Cunniff Funeral Homes of 628 North Broadway, Saratoga Springs. Memorials may be made in his name to the D.A. Collins Endowment Fund for Cystic Fibrosis, 423A New Karner Rd., #3, Albany, NY 12205-5801. Online remembrances may be made at www.burkefuneralhome.com