William Collins Rhinehart, 1935 – 2022

William Collins Rhinehart, age 87, went to be with his Lord and Savior Sep. 30, at Merit Health River Region Hospital. He was born on Jan. 24, 1935 at home, in Charlieville community near Mangham, LA to his parents Lee Rhinehart and Rosa Emmie Shepherd Rhinehart.

Collins worked on the farm with his dad. He served in the Louisiana National Guard. He attended Calvary Baptist Church, Charlieville, where he served as Music Director and Youth Leader. In the summer of 1957, at the church, he saw a young girl from Arkansas who was visiting her grandparents. He told his nephew he was going to marry that girl and on December 26, 1957 he married Barbara Jean Vaughan in Monroe, LA. They would have celebrated their 65th Anniversary in December 2022. He and Barbara began their family having two girls. Virginia & Ellen.

Collins Worked in vendor sales before beginning his employment with International Paper. He worked at the Louisiana Mill and Bastrop Mill. In 1967, he moved his family to Vicksburg, MS as part of the start up crew for the Vicksburg International Paper Mill. He was known as “Big R”,”R”, and “WC”, and “Rhinehart” at the mill. He retired in 1994.

Collins was a member of Oakland Baptist Church, serving as an active Deacon until his death. He was a faithful member in attendance sitting on the 4th row on the left side. He loved his church family and loved to fellowship until his declining health issues.

An avid hunter, Collins was a former member of Rocky Bayou Hunting Club. He loved to fish and hunt and talk about both sports. Collins loved his LSU TIGERS and when LSU was playing he was glued to the television. He took pride in his yard and garden.

He is preceded in death by his parents, brothers Charlie Rhinehart, Frank Rhinehart, Ray Rhinehart and Richard Rhinehart and sisters Bette Curry, Rosie Kemper, Lucy Thigpen and Sadie Phillips, and two nephews Emmett Lee Curry and James “Buddy” Rhinehart.

Collins is survived by his wife Barbara and daughter Virginia Rhinehart of Vicksburg and daughter Ellen Siler and her husband Doug of Conway, AR who he loved as his own son. He is also survived by numerous nieces and nephews who he kept in contact with and loved very much.

The family wishes to extend a special thank you to Lindsey Theobald of Care Well Home Health. Lindsey took such great care of daddy, and she showed such love and concern for her “little man.” The family wishes to thank the Staff Nurse Bridgette Jones, at River Region ER, who showed great care and compassion for him and Virginia as she was there during the last hours.

Pallbearers will be Abraham “Abe” Green, Gene “Buddy” Jowers, Lloyd Rhinehart, George Kemper, Robert Sibley and Lewis Miller. Honorary Pallbearers T.D. Easterling, Wendell Moore, Rusty Vaughan, Helen Paradise, Kathy Roberson and all nephews and nieces.

A visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at Glenwood Funeral Home from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Funeral service will be Wednesday, Oct. 5, at the Oakland Baptist Church at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Dwight Sibley and Rev. Dewitt Bain officiating the service. A graveside service will follow at Hewitt Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Oakland Baptist Church, 2959 Oak