Mary Matilda Collier, 86 of Tyler, began her journey to heaven on August 23, 2018. Visitation will be 6-pm Monday, August 27, 2018 at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Flint with a Rosary service at 7:00pm, a Funeral Mass will be at 1:00pm Tuesday, August 28, 2018 at St Mary Magdalene Catholic Church with Father Rowland officiating, followed by a private burial at Tyler Memorial Park.
Mary was born April 14, 1932 in Beaver Falls, PA. Her family moved to Arizona in 1943 where she ended up graduating from High School in Coolidge, AZ, she worked as a Farmers Bank teller during the day and with the movie theaters at night. She was involved in the NCO wives club as a dependent wife and later became a Sunday School teacher with St. James Catholic Church for several years. She enjoyed spending time with family, dancing, old movies, reading, cooking and baking and you could not leave her home hungry. She married her soulmate, Marion Collier in 1953 and spent the next twenty years traveling the United States and Puerto Rico as an Air Force wife and mother. They moved to Tyler in 1977 after his military retirement.
She was preceded in death by husband of 56 years, her parents George Rozich and Anna Kalcevic; step-father Bill Valentine; brothers, Joseph and George, a sister Ann Marie (John) Edwards and grandbaby Simon.
She is survived by two sisters, Barbara (John) Gardner and Loretta (Don) Shields; five children, Michael and Pricilla Collier, Marcell (Terry) Wilcox, Melany (John) Simon, Mark and Terry Collier, Melissa (Francisco) Rivera; 14 grandchildren; 11 great-great grandchildren, and long time friends Norman and Shirley Long.
In lieu of flowers memorials may be made to Hospice of East Texas 4111 University Blvd, Tyler, TX 75701.
The family wishes to extend their gratitude to the Hospice of East Texas Kimberly Ditta and Dee Givens and Azalia Trails staff, too many to name for their care.
