Cora "Sue" Collins

Cora “Sue” Collins, 88, of Bridge City, Texas, passed peacefully into the glory of Heaven on August 12, 2023, after a nearly 6-week long struggle to recover from numerous complications of a broken hip. She was born in Southside, TN on October 17, 1934, to Hattie Sue Groves Wall and Herman Burney Wall into a large farming family. She was the last surviving of the nine Wall siblings, having been predeceased by three sisters and six brothers, including a baby brother who died at 6 months old.

Sue loved her home state and was always proud to say she was a Tennessee native. However, a handsome young Army man, Donald Melder Collins, stationed at Fort Campbell, KY, just across the state line from Clarksville, TN, easily convinced her that becoming a Texan was a very good plan. Sue and Don married and set up a housekeeping in what the family jokingly calls “Collinsville” in Bridge City, TX. It was a perfect place to raise a family, surrounded by neighbors who were also relatives.

Nothing was more important to Sue than family and dear friends. She worried over and faithfully prayed for them, and always put their needs first. She was as loving and compassionate a person as you’d ever meet. She was the CEO of the Collins household, and managed all the jobs raising a busy family entailed. She was a great cook, and always prepared a delicious Sunday afternoon family dinner which the kids showed up to enjoy long after they had left home. A more particular housekeeper would have been hard to find, and the family often teased that Sue’s floors were so clean, they could eat off them. She was just as meticulous about laundry and ironing, an art she passed on to her children.

Sue and her best friend, Geraldine Ford, set a great example for their children about the importance of education and it never being too late to achieve a goal. When Sue was in her late 30’s, she and Geraldine studied for and obtained the G.E.D. Sue was exceptionally bright, and if she’d had an opportunity for more education, there’s no doubt she would have done well.

In addition to every-summer vacations to visit her home in Tennessee, there were many family camping trips, fishing, and shrimping with Don and the kids on the weekends. She was never a big fan of the water, but her family loved it, so she was right there with them, and helped Don fry fish and her best-ever hush puppies. Sue was an avid fan of horse racing and could handicap a race like a professional. In later years, she and Don enjoyed weekend getaways to play the slot machines, and she seemed to have the most amazing luck. Despite a number of health problems over the years, she always remained an optimist with a strong faith, and made the best of whatever life handed her. She was a devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, aunt, and friend who will be deeply missed.

Sue is preceded in death by her parents; her sisters Edna Harrell, Dorothy Nelson, and Etta Smithey; her brothers Cullom Wall, Bennie Wall, Herman “Junior” Wall, Van Wall, Clarence “Bubby” Wall, and baby brother Lonnie Wall; and her niece and nephew who were also like siblings to her, Sue Harrell Hughes and Bobby Harrell.

Sue is survived by her loving husband Don, who has taken care of her everyday with the most beautiful selfless devotion following her dementia diagnosis 6 years ago. She is survived by her daughter, Debbie and Randy Petty; her son, Mike Collins and Trisha Clement; and her daughter, Patty Collins and Chuck Kennison. She was the much-loved MawMaw to grandchildren (and great-grandchildren) Tiffanie Bannon and husband Tom (Makayla and Kirsten); Jenny Jung and husband Nic (Axel and Emerson); Cory Woodson and wife Alicia (Cortlyn, Lexie, Anthony, and Kelcyn); Joshua Schmuck and wife Amanda (Maddison, Silas, and Maxwell); and Michael Petty. She is also survived by her loving sisters-in-law, JoAnn Collins and Bell Wall, as well as many beloved nieces and nephews, and their families.
The family wishes to thank the Visiting Angels caregivers who were with Sue around-the-clock the last several weeks and who became like family to us, especially Sherri, Charline, Shirley, Jeanina, Mia, Shelby, and Faith. The family also deeply appreciates the care and guidance of Southeast Texas Hospice in Sue’s final days.

The funeral, under the direction of Claybar Funeral Home, will be held at St Paul Methodist Church, 1155 W. Roundbunch Road, Bridge City, TX on Saturday, August 19, 2023. Visitation begins at 11am, with the funeral immediately following at 12 noon. Interment will be at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, 4560 Hwy 87, Orange, TX. Serving as pallbearers will be Gary Collins, Jody Hollier, Dicky Melder, Cory Woodson, Joshua Schmuck, and Michael Petty. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Sue’s memory to the St Paul Methodist Church Prayer Garden in Bridge City would be welcomed.