Rachel Marie Collins

She was born and raised in Biddeford, the daughter of Christine Breton. During her childhood, she was very close to her sister, Theresa, her grandparents, her aunt and uncle and her cousins. Like many people during that time, she dropped out of school to join the workforce but earned her GED later in life.

Rachel met her husband, Richard, at Snow’s Canning in Pine Point. The girls at work teased her as she checked his time card everyday to see if he had punched into work! She finally said yes to a date after the second time he asked. They married January 17, 1948 at St. Margaret’s Church in Old Orchard Beach. Rachel was welcomed into the Collins family unconditionally and loved being a part of the large family she married into. They were married for 68 years until Richard passed away on February 19, 2016.

They were blessed with a son, Richard Collins, Jr (Dickie) in 1950. She was a supportive mom and enjoyed watching Dickie’s sporting events.

Rachel’s sister, Theresa Hebert, had 6 kids she was very close to - Conrad, Ronald, Claudette, Diane, Rachel and Ricky. She enjoyed spending time with them at camp on Ossipee Lake and on the Saco River. She was very present in their lives and loved attending their sporting events as well.

Rachel was outgoing, adventurous and loved to travel. She enjoyed skiing, horseback riding and her beloved horse, Darling Image, making ceramics, photography, crocheting, singing with the church choir as well as spending time with her family and friends. The highlight of her life was owning her horse, Image. Rachel and Image went trail riding together, had their photo taken many times for magazines, and did team penning events together.

Rachel would travel anywhere to see a friend. She enjoyed car trips around New England with Richard, Theresa and her husband, Edgar.

Rachel loved watching golf, especially Tiger Woods and she loved the Celtics, her favorite was Isaiah Thomas, and the Red Sox.

Dickie married Jacqueline (Jackie) in 1971 and they had 4 children that Rachel adored - Kathy, Kelly, Kristin and Kevin. The adventures with the grandchildren were endless. Skiing, trips to camp and the beach, horseback riding, ice skating, family dinners and sporting events just to name a few. Rachel was very proud of her family and their accomplishments.

Rachel was blessed and always amazed that she lived long enough to know her 9 great grandchildren, Elizabeth, Kelsey, Jackson, Kaitlin, Evan, Andrew, Samantha, Delaney, and Ryan.

When Richard was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, Rachel became his primary caregiver. She would never admit she was tired or defeated and sometimes resisted offers of help. It was not until the last 6 months of his life, that Richard entered the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough for full time care. She was there all day, every day, still caring for him and being his voice.

Even after his passing, she continued to volunteer at the home in the dementia unit and help in any way that she could. She was grateful to the staff there for all they did to help Richard.

Rachel joined a knitting group at the library after Richard passed. She loved listening to everyone’s stories and seeing everyone’s projects. When the pandemic started, they were no longer able to meet as a group, so she started making hats and blankets to donate to various charities.

She also started journaling and wrote family histories of the Collins and Hebert families during the pandemic to keep herself occupied. Rachel loved her family, both past and present, and wanted to be sure the history and stories are carried on.

A special thanks to her nephew Christopher and his wife Miriam and their family for their amazing friendship with Rachel; Sharon, Rachel’s second cousin, for her lunch dates and visits; and her neighbors Peggy and Steve for the hot meals. A huge thank you to the Gosnell Memorial Hospice House for their care of Rachel and her family during her last days of life.

In recent conversations with her granddaughters, Rachel wanted it known, “I lived a good life, a healthy life and a long life. Good-bye Charlie. No visiting hours at my service. If you couldn’t visit me when I was alive, you are too late!”

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Maximilian Kolbe Church, 150 Black Point Rd, Scarborough ME on Thursday March 3, at 10:00am and will be followed by a committal service at Scarborough Memorial Cemetery on Old Blue Point Rd in Scarborough.

In lieu of flowers donations in Rachel’s memory can be made to the Maine Veterans Home, 290 US- 1 Scarborough ME 04074.

Memories and condolences may be expressed at www.jonesrichandbarnes.com