Ms. Grace Derrick Collins

A memorial viewing honoring her life will be February 10th, 2019 at Bluebonnet Hills Funeral Home in Colleyville, Texas. Her body will be interred next to that of her mother, Irene Derrick, in the mausoleum at Greenwood Cemetery in Fort Worth, Texas.

Grace was born May 5th, 1924, in Ben Wheeler (Van Zandt County), Texas, the first of three children to Irene and Damon Derrick.

During her childhood, Grace's mother and father farmed the land that was originally homesteaded by his parents, Cora and Mike Derrick, early pioneer settlers of Van Zandt County.

Grace and her brothers, Marshall Ray Derrick and William Robert Derrick, attended grade school in East Texas. Following her graduation from high school in Forth Worth, Grace attended and completed secretarial studies at Brantley Draughn Business College. In addition, Grace attended night classes at Southern Methodist University.

In 1940, Grace married J.L. Callison, who joined the US. Navy for service during World War II. The couple divorced after the war. Their son, Johnny Ray Callison, lives in Fort Worth, Texas.

Among her early employment and work places were positions at Earnest Allen Motor Company, the downtown Fort Worth Chevrolet dealership, and then Western Oldsmobile in west Fort Worth.

In May 1953, Grace joined Glenn Advertising, as receptionist and secretary to John Stewart, a Glenn executive who would later move to the agency's Dallas office. During her tenure with the agency, Grace acquired stock ownership in the company, becoming corporate secretary at the same time, a position she held for several years. Grace was 26 years with the agency that became Glenn, Bozelle and Jacobs, a major player in the robust Dallas advertising industry. When the company's Fort Worth office was closed, Grace was transferred to Dallas and became an account executive.

In 1977, Grace married Kenneth W. Collins, M.D., and the couple moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, where Dr. Collins worked at Fort Roots Veterans Administration Hospital. Two years later, they returned to Northeast Tarrant County, where Grace worked from their home in Colleyville.

For 20 years, Grace was executive secretary for the American Advertising Federation - Fort Worth, Formerly the Advertising Club of Fort Worth, one of the oldest advertising industry affiliates of the AAF in the country. Upon her retirement, she was honored with a lifetime membership in the club she'd served so devotedly, especially during a time of significant growth for the industry and Fort Worth.

Following Dr. Collins' death in 1989 and her retirement from the Ad Club, Grace was a volunteer at Harris Hospital HEB, where she became part of the hospital auxiliary.

Grace was a world traveler, visiting far-flung places, from Rio de Janeiro to Nova Scotia, from Hawaii to the British Isles. She enjoyed cruises to the Caribbean Islands. Later, she had a vacation home in Denver, Colorado, and traveled there each summer for 10 years. There, Grace found her way to participation in the Eagles Club and the Red Hat Society.

Grace lived in Bedford with caregivers and her orange tabby cat, Sunny. She was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease in 2005.

She is survived by her son, Johnny Ray Callison and his wife, Lurienda Stinson; granddaughters, Alysha Cox(Callison) and Apryl Beth Nichols; and great grandchildren, Trinity and Julian Spindelilous, Robert Cox, Jr., Brooke Nichols, and Alexandra Curtiss; plus many dear friends and legions of grateful Ad Club members.

If you wish to send floral condolences in honor of Ms. Grace Collins, you may call Lilium Floral Designs, 817-589-1566.