Dorothy Collins

Dorothy J. Collins, 84, of Cedar Rapids passed away Wednesday, October 14, 2015 at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha. A Funeral Mass to send Dorothy home was held Monday, October 19 at St. Ludmila Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, with Father Dennis Juhl officiating. Burial was at St. Joseph Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Dorothy was born April 14, 1931 on the farm just outside of Waukon. She was the fifth child of Florence (Quillan) and Leo Burns. She graduated from St. Patrick’s High School in Waukon and married Tom Collins May 15, 1951. After Tom returned from serving in Korea in 1954, they settled in Cedar Rapids. Dorothy went to work at Square D, where she stayed for 35 years while raising four not always angelic sons. She retired in 1994.
In her younger years, she and Tom loved to go camping with their wonderful circle of friends. They were able to winter in Texas and Arizona during their last several years of camping. Dorothy took great pride in her Irish heritage and they participated in several St. Patrick’s Day parades over the years. She was a 61-year member of St. Ludmila Catholic Church.
Always quick with a smile, Dorothy loved her family and was a great friend to those who knew her. With all her pain gone, her Irish eyes can smile forever.
Survivors include her husband, Tom, of Cedar Rapids; her sons: Randy (Corrine) and Kelly (Connie), all of Cedar Rapids, and Brian (Joan) of Parson, KS; three brothers: Don (Gloria) Burns of Council Bluffs, Ray Burns of Cedar Rapids and Bill Burns of Arizona; three sisters: Ruth Schulte of Cedar Rapids, MaryLou (John) Hinderman of Dubuque and Jeanne (Len) Needham of Grand Rapids, MI; and her grandchildren, David, Libby, Jack, Joel, Bailey and Sean.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her beloved son, Rick; her sisters-in-law, Millie and Bev; and her brother-in-law, Harold Schulte.
Memorial donations may be made to the family. Please share a memory of Dorothy at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.