Service: 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, Ralph J. Wittich-Riley-Freers Funeral Home. Visitation: noon-2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, funeral home.

MESA, Ariz. – Eleanore Elaine “Cookie” Collins, 79, passed away Friday, Aug. 14, 2009, at her son’s home in Mesa. 

“Cookie” was a life long resident of eastern Iowa having lived in Muscatine, Cedar Rapids, Marion, and the rural Solon-Shueyville, Iowa area.

The Rev. Bruce Martin will officiate. 

Terry Clang will provide acoustic guitar for the service. 

Serving as casketbearers will be Kory Collins, Cameron Collins, Deke Gleim, Terry Clang, Steve Brade, and Jeff Williamson. 

Internment will be at the Greenwood Cemetery in Muscatine, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers the family requests that memorials be made to Unity Hospice. 

Online condolences  may be left at www.wittichfuneralhome.com.

Mrs. Collins was born Nov. 17, 1929, in Detroit, Mich., the daughter of J. H. Edward and Leona L. Schultz Elfers, and the granddaughter of C. J. Henry and Anna Reimenschnieder Elfers and Andrew J. and Nellie M. Hagerman Schultz.  She married David H. Collins Oct. 9, 1948, in Muscatine.

After a brief residence in Chicago, the happy couple set up their first home in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and the births of their three sons’s occurred there.

 In 1960, the family moved to Marion, Iowa, where their son’s grew to adulthood.  They spent two years in China on assignment with Mr. Collins’ company. 

Prior to retirement, they moved to the rural Solon, Iowa, area where they had an acreage and enjoyed hosting all of the families and grandchildren.

She is survived by her sons, Kevin LaRoy Collins and wife, Jeanne, of Mesa, Kim Allen Collins and companion, Ancil Davis, and Kane Drury Collins of Kansas City, Mo.; eight grandchildren, Kendi L. Collins, Deke Gleim and Misty Schwieso of Des Moines, Iowa, Kory D. Collins and wife, Terri, and Cameron J. Collins of Kansas City, Bree A. Dahm and Jay Clang and wife, Maria, of Mesa, and Terry Clang and wife, Valerie, of Albuquerque, N.M.; four great-grandchildren, Nastaja Pratt and Zachary Clang of Mesa, Karma Kay Collins of Kansas City, and Colin Clang of Albuquerque.

She was preceded in death by her companion of many years, Francis “Buzz” Maish in 2007’ her parents; and two sisters, Delores Peterson and Jackie Goolsby.