Helen Marie Collins

She was born on July 9, 1919, in Long Beach, California to John Leonard Scherer and Nellie Grace Redinger Scherer. Her dad nicknamed her “Dolly” since she was like a doll. She had hoped to start the pre-med program at Long Beach State but the Great Depression changed her plans. One of her favorite books was "Gray's Anatomy".

She married Arthur Bernard Collins on June 7, 1941, in Yuma, Arizona. She was baptized into the Catholic faith which became the center of her life. She always volunteered at the different parishes where she lived in Long Beach, Bellflower, Fresno, and Santa Clara. For more than 50 years, she was a volunteer at the Carmelite Monastery in Santa Clara. She also worked for a while at the old Kaiser Hospital on Kiely. Many times she drove others who needed rides, visited those who were sick, took care of friends who were blind, counseled those who needed a listening ear, brought food, and provided company to many friends. Helen enjoyed the annual birthday gatherings at the beaches by Santa Cruz with her family.

She is survived by her 3 children; Zoe and her spouse Michael Lighty; Joyce and her spouse Michael Shannon, and Jim and his spouse Barbara LaPlante Collins.

She is also survived by her 12 grandchildren and their spouses and 24 great grandchildren: David & Marla Gerein Lighty (Madeline) and Tony & Heather Lighty (Samantha Schwartz, Hunter, Aislynne, Parker, Reese); Sean & Chris Shannon (Caitlin, Jack, Siobhan, Taryn, George), Maureen & Salesi Vakalahi (Lava, Loviana), Colleen, and Erin Shannon (Veronica Peterson); Jennifer & Steve Sidler (Wyatt, Helena, Sienna, Emma), Rachel, Jeff & Shane Collins (Mikayla, Victoria), Margaret & Jason Neiber (Carson), Ellen & Arnold Acevedo (Austin, Ashley, Alexander) and Joe Collins.

Helen was predeceased by her husband, Arthur, by her parents and her brother, James William Scherer, and by her grandson, John Arthur Collins.

Visitation for family and friends will be held from 3-8pm on Tuesday, September 11, 2012. at Lima Family Santa Clara, 466 N. Winchester Blvd. Funeral Services will be held at St. Clare Church, 941 Lexington Street, Santa Clara on Wednesday, September 12, 2012, starting at 10am. Interment follows at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery, 490 Lincoln St. Memorial donations may be made in her honor to the Carmelite Monastery, 1000 Lincoln Street, Santa Clara, California, 95050.