Docia Ann Collins

Docia Ann Collins, age 80, died of congestive heart failure on Oct. 19. She was born in 1935 to Roy and Josephine Gollahon and grew up in the Dover Community. She was still in high school when she met Lee Collins and declared it was love at first sight. The couple was married 56 years until Lee’s death in 2010. Ann worked for many years at Magnavox before becoming a full-time mother and wife. Her life was truly dedicated to her children, nieces and nephews, cousins and anyone else who needed a warm place to stay. She considered her adult children and grandchildren her best friends and loved spending time with them. She was a lifelong Democrat and supported labor unions. She loved to watch football and always rooted for Tennessee and Peyton Manning. She had amassed over 5,000 sets of salt and pepper shakers during her lifetime. She felt very blessed to have two wonderful families – one was born into and another one that accepted her with love when she married. In addition to her husband and parents, she was preceded in death by her daughter, Carolyn Collins; brother, the Rev. Russell Gollahon; special sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Alva and Oscar Harville; and special aunts Mary and Martha Gollahon. She is survived by her daughter, Debra Williams, with whom she made her home; son and daughter-in-law, Dwayne and Jackie Collins; the light of her life, grandchildren Melissa Johnson and fiancé Trey Throneburg of Raleigh and TSG Justin Haynes, who is serving in Japan with the U.S. Air Force. She is also survived by two precious great grandsons whom she adored, Tyler and Dylan Johnson of Raleigh. She also leaves her “sisters,” Maxine Collins and Brenda Pendleton; nieces, Robyn (and Tony) Lankford, Rachel Lee, Linda (and Joe) Davis, Sandra Hunt, Ronda Matthews, best friend, Betty Wright of Tarpon Springs, Fla. ; neighbors , Roger Shockley and Anna James and special friends, Chris and Cindy Reasoner. The family wishes to thank the doctors and staff at Morristown-Hamblen Hospital and Jennifer and David Greene and Tina Cowan. The family will receive friends from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 22 at the Chapel of Stubblefield’s Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2 p.m. with entombment to follow at Hamblen Memorial Gardens. Those wishing to remember Ann’s life may do so in whatever way they find fitting. The family has established a memorial tree fund at Walters State Community College.

Stubblefield Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.