Joan Nutter Collins

Joan Nutter Collins Passed away peacefully surrounded by her loving family on October 21st, 2007 as a result of a hemorrhagic stroke. Joan was born on May 12th, 1939 in Camden, NJ. She grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey and graduated from Moorestown High School. She attended Skidmore College, NY and Jefferson School of Nursing in Philadelphia. Joan was the devoted wife of Samuel Pickens Collins. They met while he was attending the United States Military Academy at West Point, NY and were married in 1960. Joan was the beloved mother of Kenneth Collins, who is married to Denise, and Patricia, who is married to Daniel Foxhoven. She was the grandmother of Jeffrey Collins, Jennie, Justin, and Jessica Foxhoven; the cherished daughter of Helen Wertsner and Charles Armel Nutter; and the adored sister of Charles Armel Nutter Jr., Patricia Cutter Whitman, Helen Nutter McChesney and Nancy Nutter Powers, and their families. Joan was a loving wife, mother and grandmother -- true to her family and respected in her community. She treasured her family, and enjoyed her home, garden, birds, tennis, traveling, and photography. She liked taking high quality close-up photographs of hummingbirds and flowers, which she shared with her many friends on hand-made greeting cards. She adored her dogs and lavished care and affection on them. She was married to a career Army officer and had to endure over 14 family relocations within 30 years. She especially thrived on the Army social life and volunteering for the Red Cross and family community services at many of her husband's assignments. She raised her children to be independent, to appreciate and succeed on establishing new friendships, to broaden their social skills and to develop a worldly outlook. After raising her young family, Joan worked for 13 years as a certified ophthalmic technician. In her retirement years in Novato, CA, Joan became a competitive tennis player and formed many lasting relationships on the court, which endured long after she lost her ability to play the game. She was a compassionate person, always seeking to help friends in need, especially those who were seriously ill or had lost a loved one. She was deeply loved by her extended family and many close friends. A celebration of Joan's life will be held Wednesday, November 7th, at 1:00 PM, Keaton's Redwood Chapel, 1801 Novato Blvd., Novato, CA 94947. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the American Stroke Association (a division of AHA), National Center, 7272 Greenville Avenue, Dallas, TX 75231.