Tairen T. McCollister

Tairén Ternice “Tei” McCollister, 49, of Clayton, Delaware, passed away peacefully at her home on February 27, 2026, surrounded by her loving sisters and cousin.

Tairén, affectionately known as Tei by her family, was born on March 15, 1976, in Bellville, Illinois (Scott Air Force Base) to Kenneth and Beverly McCollister (neé Roy). During her childhood, she spent a great deal of time with her beloved grandparents, Puddy and Madeline Roy and Ann McCollister, who played a pivotal role in her upbringing. Tairén proudly shared her birthday with her grandmother Madeline, a connection that always held special meaning for her. She also shared her love for Sarah Vaughn with her grandmother Ann. Tairén, along with her sister Tyi, spent much of their youth with their Aunt Marcia and their cousins, Buster and Mikey. As well as with their cousin Keshia, and calling themselves the “Wild Chicks”.

From an early age, Tairén showed a deep love for the creative arts, which she inherited from her father, and used them as a powerful vehicle for self-expression. She excelled in academics, music, writing, acting/theater, and singing. While in school, she played both the violin and the clarinet and demonstrated strong academic achievement. Tairén graduated from John Dickinson High School in 1994, where she participated in chorus, theater, and the color guard, becoming a captain.

Enamored with musical theatre, Tairén briefly attended Marymount Manhattan College in New York City, where she studied Theatre and Communication Arts. During her time in New York, she left a lasting impression on everyone she met and was affectionately known as the “little ball of sunshine” because of her peppy, upbeat spirit and infectious laugh. There she met one of her best friends, Andrea Thompson, whose sister Jeneen was the same age as Tyi, and the four of them formed an unbreakable sister bond. She later transferred to the University of Delaware, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, as well as making the Dean’s List.

Tairén went on to earn two graduate degrees: a Master of Education in Secondary Education and a Master of Education in Applied Technology Education from Wilmington University. She was also fluent in German, and it was a dream come true for her to visit Germany in her early twenties. Her love of travel also took her to England, Italy, and Mexico, and she dreamed of one day visiting France and Morocco. Tairén was also an au pair to three children in Leeds (England) in 2001, with whom she remained in contact.

Tairén had a profound passion for teaching and dedicated more than 20 years to the public school system, which began after a young student she met through student teaching recommended her to teach at the newly developed Newark Charter School. She taught high school English at St. Georges Technical High School through the New Castle County Vocational-Technical School District for fourteen years, where she was affectionately known by her students as “Ms. M.” and acted as Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Coordinator for one year. Tairén was recognized as the Delaware State Teacher of the Year in 2014. In addition to her work in secondary education, she served for many years as an adjunct college professor of English at Wilmington University for 14 years, Delaware State University for three years, and the University of Arizona for two years. Her most recent employment was with the Centreville Layton School as the music teacher for the lower classes and the University of Delaware as a Field Instructor for student teachers.

A lifelong learner and seeker of knowledge, Tairén earned multiple educational certifications and eventually became a certified life coach, doula, and herbalist, opening her own online businesses, Huckleberry Moon Naturals, and spiritual and healing site Sacred Healing Arts. She was also the author and podcast host of The Namaste Stories: Stories for Growing Souls, a spiritually rooted children’s podcast that weaves together imaginative storytelling, emotional wisdom, and mindfulness to nurture early literacy and soulful development. Neve helped create the design, and Liam makes a guest appearance on “Angel Blessings”, the prayer they would say at night. She was a consultant, speaker, and trained in Trauma-Informed Education, Mindfulness in Education, DEI, SEL, and supporting children and families in education, and a Whole Child Advocate.

Tairén was predeceased in death by her maternal grandparents, Madeline “Mac” and Elwood “Puddy” Roy; paternal grandparents Ann and Oden “OB” McCollister; maternal uncle Elwood “Butchie” Roy, Jr., paternal uncles, Oden “Ricky”, III and Stephen McCollister, paternal aunt Marcia Palmer; maternal aunt and uncle, Brenda and Clayton Gulledge, Sr., maternal uncle, Jerome Jackson, her brother-in-law, Charles Porter, and nephews, Zaire and Zoviare Proctor and Chance Porter.

She leaves to cherish her memory her loving parents, Kenneth and Beverly McCollister; her two beautiful children, Liam and Neve McCollister; her sisters, Tanlynne “Toi” Porter and devoted and faithful Tiyona “Tyi” McCollister; her brother, Kenneth Gibbs; uncles James Roy (Dale); and Douglas Roy; aunts, Victoria Hubbard, Marilyn Jackson, Karen Poland (James); cousins LaKeshia Roy (Hezikiah Davis), Tamika Hubbard, Taylin Minor, William “Buster” Palmer, Kenya “Mikey” Palmer (Mary), Benevelyn “Nevie” Richardson (Rev. Samuel), Baquendalyn “Qwen” Gulledge, Bernalachell “Shelly” Sawyer (James), Balesia “Lisa” Gulledge, Clayton, Gulledge, Jr., Caprice McCollister, and Eric and Lamont McCollister. Her godparents, Pam and Verlie Word, with whom she spent much of her childhood, along with her god siblings, as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, dear friends, colleagues, and countless students whose lives were touched by her warmth, wisdom, and radiant spirit.

Tairén will be remembered for her infectious laugh, kindness, creativity, quick wit, passion for learning, her love for Katherine Hepburn, the love and light she shared so freely with others, and most of all, the love she had for her children, Liam and Neve, who were her greatest gifts. She was “Aunt Tairén/Tei” to numerous children and family to many. Tairén will be dearly missed by everyone she met.