Dorothy Marie Collins

Dorothy entered this world in Wortham, Texas on June 9, 1947, on a small farm. She was the oldest of thirteen children to Maggie Mae Johnson Davis and Lee Arnold “L.A.” Davis. She passed away on Tuesday, February 14, 2023. She was 75 years of age.

Growing up and working on the farm, in the field at an early age, her father believed in everyone working. Dororthy’s job was to carry the water bucket because she was too small to do anything else in the field. On Sunday mornings, she read the Sunday School lesson and had prayer with the family before breakfast at the table. She was baptized at an early age (11) at Lebanon Missionary Baptist Church.

Dorothy would write and draw on walls, doors, books, paper, and anything she could possibly put her hands on. Dorothy received many whippings from her Dad for writing on the walls. So, Dorothy’s mother taught her how to write and spell her name before she was old enough to go to elementary school.

Love, hard work, faith, excellence, and education were instilled into her at an early age, and those same values she would later instill in her own children, nieces, nephews, and countless others.

She attended F. W. Wheeler High School in Wortham Texas. During her time in high school, she used her voice and was instrumental in helping to improve the school curriculum and opportunities for her peers. After writing countless letters and speaking to the principal and superintendent during her junior year, typing and computer courses were added to the curriculum.

She graduated in May 1965, and later that summer she entered Prairie View A&M and majored in Business Education.

In 1971, she received a Master’s Degree in Guidance Education. During this time Dorothy worked for the Department of Agriculture. While working at Prairie View A&M University, Dorothy met and married Johnnie B. Collins in June 1975. They moved to Houston, Texas where they lived for five years and during that time Dorothy worked for the Harris County Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority.

On November 26, 1980, Dorothy and Johnnie moved to Fayette, Mississippi and two years later she went to work at Alcorn State University as a Residence Hall Coordinator/Counselor. She found the work gratifying and challenging.

The death of her husband Dr. Johnnie B. Collins, in March 1992 was devastating for her and her children. She tried to compensate by keeping busy and keeping the children busy, to ease the hurt and pain. Sometimes it would work and sometimes it did not help-.

In June 1998, after much consideration and discussion with her children; the decision was made to change jobs. In July 1998, Dorothy started to work for the Jefferson County School District as a Counselor and District Test Coordinator.

As a trailblazing woman of color, she earned a National Counselor credential while employed by the Jefferson County School District - the National Certified School Counselor (NCSC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors, Inc (NBCC).

Dorothy was also an Independent Beauty Consultant for Mary Kay for over 25 years where she helped women to gain confidence and realize their full potential. She was also a part of the Mississippi Counseling Association, the Mississippi Association of Educators, and the National Association of Negro Business and Women Professional Clubs, Incorporated.

She was a member of the Greenleaf Baptist Church of Harriston where she sang in the choir and was a church mother — she also enjoyed reading, listening to music, sewing, and fishing. She was a renowned cook and everyone loved her homemade jellies, jams, preserves, and pickles.

She is preceded in death by her husband Johnnie B. Collins, Sr.; her parents Maggie Mae Johnson Davis (Ma), Elder Lee Arnold “L.A.” Davis (Papa), and stepmother Sammie Lee Randle Davis (Nanna); siblings: John Davis, Maomi Davis, Lee Arnold Davis Jr., Donald Steve Davis, Herbert Neal Davis, Lynn Dell “JC” Davis, Darrell Chambers, and Roy Randle. Dorothy leaves with cherished memories, her children, Valerie Shankle, Johnnie Collins, and his wife Vanessa, Christopher O. Collins, and wife Kenita Kathryn. Her grandchildren, Addison Grace Collins and Christopher Collins II. Her great-grandchild, Kaymon Keithshaud Ponds and siblings, Joe David Davis, Charlie Mack Davis, Lawrence Karl Davis and his wife Myrtle, Clint Maxwell Davis and his wife Jackie, Raymond Kal Davis, Leonard Davis and his wife Amanda, George Chambers and his wife Linda, David Chambers and his wife Gina, Timothy Gordon (honorary brother), Janice Marie Davis, Linda Knight, Peggy Wideman and her husband Dennis, Donna Love and her husband Donald, Betty Macklin, Shandra Horn and her husband David, Gloria Nell Johnson and her husband Tommy, and numerous nieces, nephews, and a host of family and friends.