Marie Collins

Marie E. Collins, 62, of Cape Girardeau died Thursday, March 31, 2005, at Southeast Missouri Hospital.

She was born Nov. 29, 1942, in Cleburne County, Ark., daughter of Walter and Edith Eva Foust Gage. She and Jerry L. Collins were married Aug. 20, 1966, at First General Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

Mrs. Collins was a graduate of Fisk-Rombauer High School, and received bachelor of science and master's degrees in education from Southeast Missouri State University.

She taught a year at Meridian High School in Mounds, Ill., and was a social studies teacher at Central High School from 1967 to 1972. She was office manager five years for Dr. Wilfred Lee.

Mrs. Collins was a devoted member of First General Baptist Church 45 years, and served in numerous capacities at the church.

Survivors include her husband; two sons, Brian J. Collins and wife Jackee of Jackson, David L. Collins of Cape Girardeau; a brother, Melvin B. Gage of Tightwad, Mo.; a half-sister, Judy Beck of Hatfield, Ark.; a half-brother, Eddie Gage of New Orleans, La.; her stepfather, Arvel Gough of Malden, Mo.; a stepbrother, Harold Gough of Malden; a granddaughter, Kearsten Collins; a grandson, Luke Collins; a nephew, Mark Gones of Gordonville; and three nieces, Cindy Turpin of Belton, Mo., Valerie Martin of New Bloomfield, Mo., and Becky House of Seattle, Wash.

She was preceded in death by her father, Walter Gage; her mother, Edith Foust Gough; and a sister, Leda Ann Gones.

Friends may call at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home from 4 to 8 p.m. Sunday.

The funeral will be at 10 a.m. Monday at the funeral home, with the Revs. David Griesemer, Wayne Foust, and Sam Ramdial officiating. Burial will be in Dongola Cemetery at Dongola, Mo.

Memorial contributions may be made to First General Baptist Church or Marie Collins Camp Allen Scholarship Fund.