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Dorothy Collins
DOROTHY COLLINS
Cedar Rapids
Dorothy J. Collins, 84, of Cedar Rapids, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2015, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. A funeral Mass to send Dorothy home will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, Oct. 19, at St. Ludmila Catholic Church. Father Dennis Juhl will officiate. Visitation will be at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 520 Wilson Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids, on Sunday, Oct. 18, from 4 to 7 p.m., with a vigil service at 7 p.m. Burial: St. Joseph Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Survivors include her husband, Tom of Cedar Rapids; sons, Randy (Corrine) and Kelly (Connie), both of Cedar Rapids, and Brian (Joan) of Parson, Kan.; three brothers, Don (Gloria) Burns of Council Bluffs, Ray Burns of Cedar Rapids and Bill Burns of Arizona; three sisters, Ruth Schulte of Cedar Rapids, MaryLou (John) Hinderman of Dubuque and Jeanne (Len) Needham of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and grandchildren, David, Libby, Jack, Joel, Bailey and Sean.
She was preceded in death by her parents; beloved son, Rick; sisters-in-law, Millie and Bev; and brother-in-law, Harold Schulte.
Dorothy was born April 14, 1931, on the farm just outside of Waukon, Iowa. She was the fifth child of Florence (Quillan) and Leo Burns. She graduated from St. Patrick's High School in Waukon, and married Tom Collins on May 15, 1951. After Tom returned from serving in Korea in 1954, they settled in Cedar Rapids. Dorothy went to work at Square D, where she stayed for 35 years, while raising four not always angelic sons. She retired in 1994.
In her younger years, she and Tom loved to go camping with their wonderful circle of friends. They were able to winter in Texas and Arizona during their last several years of camping.
Dorothy took great pride in her Irish heritage and they participated in several St. Patrick's Day parades over the years. She was a 61-year member of St. Ludmila Catholic Church.
Always quick with a smile, Dorothy loved her family and was a great friend to those who knew her. With all her pain gone, her Irish eyes can smile forever.
Her family wishes to thank everyone associated with hospice that came to the house and the incredible staff at the Oldorf Hospice House; they are truly angels of Mercy.
Memorial donations may be made to the family.
Please share a memory of Dorothy at www. murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.
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