Irene Collins

Ester Irene Collins was born June 20, 1925 in Williamson County, the daughter of the late James Wesley Sullivan and Mary Jane Askins Sullivan. Irene retired as a cook from the Tennessee Children?s Home. Her family says that she dearly loved all of the children there and they lovingly referred to her as Granny. Irene also enjoyed cooking for her family. In her earlier years, she enjoyed quilting. She was a member of the West 7th Street Church of Christ.

Irene passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2011, at Maury Regional Medical Center.

Survivors include her children, Joyce Fay Williams and James Edward Collins, both of Columbia; grandsons, Steven Wayne Williams, Jeff Williams, Chris Williams and Kevin Williams; several great-grandchildren and 2 great-great-grandchildren; two sisters, Pauline Kelley of Columbia and Lennie Collins of Spring Hill, along with her special caregiver, Sythinia Smith.

In addition to her parents, Irene was preceded in death by her first husband, Willie C. Collins and her second husband, C.T. Andrews, one sister, Elizabeth Rosario and two brothers, Floyd Sullivan and Elgie Sullivan.

A graveside inurnment will be conducted Wednesday at 11:00 A.M. in the pavilion at The Arbors at Polk Memorial Gardens with Jeremy Butt officiating.
The family will visit with friends after the service at The Arbors on Wednesday.

The family would like to give special thanks to the ICU and Oncology staff of Maury Regional Medical Center and to the West 7th Street Church of Christ for their loving care of Irene.