Donna Misner Collins

I met Donna through her trainer Mike at the 24 Hours Fitness gym at Rice Village back in 2021. Her down to earth character was what drawn me to her. From the time we met till two weeks before she passed away, we would greet each other with hugs every time we saw each other on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Attending her memorial service and hearing the eulogies made me realize why people of different backgrounds, races, etc were drawn to her; she made everyone welcome. I will surely miss you...

Donna has always been a kind, welcoming, and patient neighbor. In a dark time in my life when I was struggling to find work I shut myself in and seldom came out to see anyone, no family or friends. She still invited me for tea, a warm and comforting pot of Rooibos Red. I told her about my fruitless job search, she said "That explains why you've been so reticent." She said it so gently, free of judgement, but it imprinted deeply into my memory. Every time I think about isolating myself I...

When I first met Donna on a trip to Mexico, that last afternoon in the airport she taught me how to hug, because she thought I was a terrible hugger. I looked to her over the years for guidance on how to interact joyfully with people - she had a gift for that was a light to all of us. Though she could be no-bs and realistic about the world, she was a living example of optimism and positivity. So many of my memories are of her talking with strangers in a brave and compassionate way. On that...

Donna was and incredible woman capable of anything she wanted. She was sometimes my scuba diving buddy and we enjoyed traveling to remote dive sites, meeting the natives and the beautiful ocean life that God created underneath the waves. May God comfort the family. Yours, Cheryl White

I met Nick in elementary school when my family first moved to the States. He was one of my first friends in school and in the US. He invited me over for one of his birthday parties where I met Mrs. Collins and Mr. Collins. And immediately it was clear how full of love, enthusiasm, brilliance, and kindness the Collins--and Mrs Collins in particular--exuded. That was three decades ago, and in the intervening decades, Mrs. Collins would take me to lunch at Transco Tower when I worked in...