Frances Elaine (West) Collins

Friday, February 23, 2007

Frances Elaine (West) Collins, 66, was born in Schell City, Mo., on Oct. 10, 1940, to the late Lee Francis West and Iris Mary Losey West. She passed Feb. 17, 2007, in a house fire that also claimed the lives of her only son, Randall Lee Collins Jr., 35, and his daughter, Alexis Ann Collins, age 5.

Elaine attended school at Stoney Point near Schell City. On June 25, 1962, she married Randall Collins Sr., and after living in Germany for two years while Randall was stationed in the U.S. Army, they moved to Tiffin and reared their family. She enjoyed flowers, birds, long rides in the country, and her grandchildren.

Survivors include her husband, Randall Collins Sr., of the home; daughters, Diana Hudson and Bonnie Bowman of El Dorado Springs, Donna Stewart of Walnut Grove, Mo., Brenda Vandenberg, Springfield, Mo., and Dorothy Graves, Cole Camp, Mo.; grandchildren, Chris Stewart, D.J., Amanda and Rylee Bowman, Jessica Allen, Dorothy Jane Graves, Randy Collins III, Brendan Vandenberg; great-grandchildren, Anakin and Bella Stewart; mother-in-law, Maretta Collins, Osceola, Mo.; sisters, Carol Johnson, Irene Anderson, Linda Lumley; and brother, Junior West. She was preceded in death her he twin brothers, Donnie and Ronnie West.

Services were Tuesday, Feb. 20, at 1 p.m., at the Sheldon Funeral Home, El Dorado Springs, with the Rev. James Coleman officiating. Interment was in the Yeater Cemetery.

Musical selections were "Tears in Heaven," "Old Rugged Cross," "Will The Circle Be Unbroken," "Go Rest High On That Mountain," and were provided by Marlene Scotten and Dale Lipe.

Pallbearers were Donnie Bowman, Jason Graves, David Hudson, D.J. Bowman, Brian Vandenberg and Christopher Stewart. Honorary pallbearers were Jessica Allen, Amanda Bowman, Brendan Vandenberg, Anakin Stewart, Dorothy Jane Graves, Rylee Bowman, Randall Lee Collins III and Bella Stewart.