Donna Collins

1940 - 2025

Donna Collins

April 30, 1940 – December 16, 2025

On Tuesday, December 16th, we lost our mom, grandmother (Bama), sister, and friend, Donna Elaine Collins. Born April 30th, 1940, in Picher, Oklahoma, to Johnnie and Irene Jarvis, she relocated with her family to California, settling in the Bay Area as a young child. Growing up in Concord, CA, with her sister Sherry, she was active in the Theda Rho Girls Club during her teen years. She graduated from Mt. Diablo High School in 1958.

At just 18 years old, while working at the Showcase Theater, she met the love of her life. Ernie Collins, a Marine from Detroit, Michigan, flirted with her as he purchased a movie ticket. They became engaged a few months later and married after a short courtship in November 1958.

Donna and Ernie first settled in Concord, CA, where their three children were born. A short move in 1973 took them to Antioch, where they settled into a busy life with three kids in tow. They became very active in a square-dancing group and enjoyed camping and boating with friends and family. They continued their favorite annual vacation to Lake Britton/Burney Falls, where the family still spends a week every summer. Donna worked as a bookkeeper for Mayer's Jewelers in Antioch.

In 1979, they followed their dream of living and working in a rural area and moved to Grass Valley. Donna continued her bookkeeping career with the local Grass Valley school district. They built their dream home in 1985, where they lived until deciding to downsize and spend winters in a warmer climate after retirement.

Donna and Ernie spent many years as snowbirds, wintering in Mesa, Arizona, where they made lifelong friends. Their social life was busy all winter, enjoying the warmer climate while escaping the colder Grass Valley winters.

Donna was preceded in death by her husband, Ernie, and her parents, Johnnie and Irene Jarvis. She will be deeply missed by her children: Shelley Mortara (Ed), Diann Patton (Dan), and Patrick Collins (Cherise); her grandchildren: Katie Utterback (Chris), Alexis Patton (Jonathan), Corey Mortara (Megan), Jordan Denoix (Guillaume), Jeremy Mortara, Ryan Collins, and Morgan Collins; and her great-grandchildren: Brandon Utterback, Jackson Utterback, Jenna Utterback, Jack Denoix, Kara Mortara, James Denoix, and Ellie Mortara and her sister Sherry Nunnally.

Donna was gifted in all things crafty. She made beautiful porcelain dolls, crocheted, painted, quilted, and excelled in many artistic endeavors. She was happiest surrounded by her grandchildren, creating handmade treasures and spending time with her animals.

An open-house memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 10th, from 1-3 p.m. at Las Katarinas Restaurant, located at 10100 Alta Sierra Dr., Grass Valley. Please reach out to mortara60@outlook.com if you'd like to join us.

Donations in memory of Donna may be made to Bristol Hospice:

https://bristolhospicefoundationca.org/contact-us/