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Cornelia Collins Obituary
August 18, 1921 - June 18, 2020
San Diego
Lee Collins passed away peacefully at home in San Diego, CA. Born Cornelia Agnes Deming in W. Hartford CT, she graduated from Mt. St. Joseph Academy, attended Smith College, and Columbia School of Social Work.Lee was married to J. Foster Collins for 57 years; he predeceased her in 2002. They lived in many foreign countries with the Foreign Service, resided in McLean VA, wintered in Miami FL, and relocated to San Diego in 2000. Lee also shared a home with her siblings on Wolfe Island in Ontario, Canada, her mother's birthplace, which is now a summer home for extended family.Lee was always the gracious hostess; a devoted mother; and a lifetime volunteer. Her service work included the Girl Scouts, the San Diego Center for the Blind, St. Agnes Catholic Church Missions Circle. She promoted adult literacy, trained teachers in Laubach Literacy internationally, and served on the board of Proliteracy Worldwide. Lee's leisure activities were swimming, tennis, boating, travel, bridge, conversational Spanish club, and attending her grandchildren's events.Lee will be remembered for her positive outlook on life and people, warmth as a hostess, dedication to service, clever use of words and puns, and having a strong, loving bond with her family. She is survived by three children, Lauren Collins-Mitchell (Charlie) of Apache Junction, AZ, Ken Collins (Lynn) of San Diego, CA, and Carole Staley Collins of Annapolis, MD; five grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.A Memorial Mass is scheduled for October 24, 2020, at St. Agnes Catholic Church in San Diego, followed by a Celebration of Life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Proliteracy, 101 Wyoming St., Syracuse, NY 13204, to the Lee and J. Foster Collins Endowment Fund; also online at proliteracy.org.
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Memories and Condolences
for Cornelia Collins
6 Entries
Nihal Beidas
August 18, 2023
I truly miss my friend Lee... even though we were neighbors in McLean for few years , before they moved to San Diego yet, we continued calling one another for updates of the neighborhood!
Every time I went to visit family in San Diego, I went to see my sweet friend Lee and she will take me to her favorite Fish place by the bay and we sat and talked about our families...!
Lee was the one who introduced me to Proliteracy which made me spread the word among my friends for donations!
She is an icon...rest in peace my beloved friend.
Nihal Beidas
September 17, 2020
Nihal Beidas
September 1, 2020
May the love of friends and family carry you through your grief.
Christine
August 28, 2020
Always a joy to be around, Lee always had a smile and positive attitude. The world was a better place with her in it. Our condolences to the family. Rest in peace, Lee.
Nanci W Reaves
August 28, 2020
I am now 65 years old and Lee has been in my life since my birth. I have fond childhood memories of her driving me and other children to the neighborhood pool in McLean. When she and the family were overseas, our family lived in their McLean home. When I was in college, I commuted with Foster downtown to the Treasury Department. And when they moved to San Diego, I was invited to visit and stay in the lovely condo by the bay while I attended to my aging father. I have warm fuzzy memories of eating yummy fish sandwiches with Lee at a little place by the bay. Her love extended to many and she made me feel as if I was always in her embrace. She will be greatly missed.
Mikela Naylor
August 24, 2020
This is weird but i will never forget - my best friend Lauren must have told her mother Lee that my mother Janet was pokey in recognizing we were growing up - Lee and Lauren appeared at our home in a small convertible, with a bag with stockings and a garter belt! Lee was like that, she saw into those unspoken kinds of needs and desires - she was a unique person full of life, giving to others, and sometimes displaying even a bit of mischief. May her spirit live on! She is certainly a heroine in my life. love to all of you Lauren, Ken and Staley, Mike Naylor
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