Linda Diane Slay Collins

Linda Diane Slay Collins
September 18, 1945-May 30, 2025

Linda, 79, a sweet and beautiful soul, went home to be with the Lord on May 30, 2025, after battling ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease). She was born in Jacksonville, Florida to James Carl and Marion Slay. When Linda was 14 and 15, she lived in Sigonella, Italy on the outskirts of Sicily. After her father’s retirement from the Navy, the family settled in Comer, Georgia. She graduated from Oglethorpe County High School in 1963.

Always a beauty, both inside and out, Linda was even crowned Homecoming Queen her Senior year. She met her soulmate, Raymond Collins, at a football game when they were 17 years old; after dating for several years they married in 1966. Once a Navy daughter, she became a Navy wife and later a Navy bonus grandmother. She and Raymond lived in Jacksonville, Florida and Belvedere, South Carolina before settling at their home place in Comer, Georgia. They have two beloved daughters, Heather Lynn and Tonya Michele, who were the light of Linda’s eyes. Linda and Raymond recently celebrated their 59th wedding anniversary and their special love story.

Linda retired after 28 years of working with children at Comer Elementary School. She loved it Out West, especially Colorado and Montana. Linda and Raymond would go camping, fishing, hunting where they fell in love with places like Silverton and Gunnison, Colorado and Roundup, Montana. She loved being on the lake and if she wasn’t fishing herself, she would read books on the boat while Raymond fished. She was the ultimate homemaker and sewed clothes for her girls, made them wooden Easter pocketbooks, cooked, gardened, and canned vegetables, meats, made jams and jellies.

She fancied hummingbirds and her yard was always full of birds to the point where filling up feeders two and three times a day was common. Her love for her dogs was unconditional and there were always fur babies around her. They traveled with her and Raymond on their trips and she always spoiled her dogs. One legacy she passed onto her daughters (along with her love for dogs and cats) was a love of shoes and jewelry; she especially loved turquoise and south western jewelry.

Linda is preceded in death by her parents, her son-in-law, Don Patton, and her sister, Nancy Slay Graham. Linda is survived by her husband, Raymond Collins; her daughter Heather Collins (Florida); her daughter Tonya Collins (Comer); her bonus daughter Angie Dalton (Craig)(Watkinsville); bonus granddaughter, Robbie Paul (Watkinsville); several nephews, great nieces and nephews and cousins.

Remember me as you pass by, for as you are so once was I, and as I am you too shall be, so prepare yourself to follow me. Trust in the Lord with all your heart, mind, body, and soul.

The family will hold a memorial service at a later date.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.berryfh.com.

Berry Funeral Home in Elberton, GA is assisting the family.