Virginia Taylor Collins, retired educator
Virginia Lee Taylor Collins, affectionately known as Ginny, passed away Saturday, Aug. 24, 2013, at the age of 95. Longtime resident of Bridgeville, and recently of Georgetown, Ginny was born July 6, 1918, in Preston, Md. She was the daughter of the late Harry Ray and Addie (Laws) Taylor.
Soon after birth, Ginny’s mother passed away and she went on to be raised by her late aunt and uncle, Sherman and Bertie (Taylor) Todd of Bridgeville. Ginny was a direct descendant of John Laws, of one the Eastern Shore’s oldest families, who settled in Somerset County, Md., in 1661. She was very proud of her family’s heritage and was an active member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Ginny was a 1935 graduate of Bridgeville High School and was the second-oldest living class member. She attended Western Maryland College (now McDaniel College) from 1935-37 and graduated from Farmville State Teachers College in Virginia (now Longwood University) in 1939 where she earned her teaching degree and excelled in basketball and field hockey. Ginny returned to her beloved Sussex County where she taught for the next 40 years, retiring from Bridgeville public schools in 1979.
Ginny was a woman of strong faith and was active in numerous churches, including Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Seaford, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Georgetown and most recently at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Georgetown. Ginny will always be remembered for her big heart and loving personality, especially by her numerous bridge club friends, the “girls” from Cinderberry and all her wonderful caregivers.
In addition to her parents, Ginny was preceded in death by her loving and devoted husband of over 64 years, Captain Hugh Timothy Collins Jr.; and her granddaughter, Laura Ann Collins. She is survived by her five children: H. Tim Collins III and his wife Gretchen of Fenwick Island, Mark T. Collins and his wife Debbie of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., C. Todd Collins and his wife Donna of Jefferson, Md., Kate (Collins) Marvel and her husband Harvey of Milford, and Harry Ray Collins of Georgetown; 11n grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren: Stephen and Paula Collins and their children, Aidan, Emma and Alexa; Matt and Kathleen Collins and their children, Brianna, Timothy, Ryan and Shannon; Brian Collins and Kirstan Bembenek; Katrin, Sara and Bridget Casey; Jessica and Ryan McCabe and their daughter, Laura; Meghan and Bryan Grimm and their children, Flannery, Beckett and Moira; Abbie and Alex Krechting and their children, Patrick and Maeve; Ryan and Teralynn Marvel; and Josh Marvel and his finance Kari Kulp; and Ginny’s loving and devoted Schnauzer Max.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, Aug. 29, at 11 a.m., at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 202 Edward St., Georgetown, with the Rev. John Hynes celebrating. Friends may visit at the church beginning at 9:30 a.m. Entombment will be private at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Dagsboro.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in to Delaware SPCA, Sussex Chapter, 22918 DuPont Hwy., Georgetown, DE 19947. Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Lewes.
