Madeleine Mary Collins

(May 6, 1927 - August 6, 2012)

Madeleine Mary Murray Collins was born in Philadelphia and attended Holy Child elementary school. She spent her teen years at Little Flower High School, serving as president of Student Council there. After graduating from Chestnut Hill College with B.A. in English, she took a job as copy editor for Glamour magazine, for which she worked until her marriage in 1952 to Philadelphia attorney Donald Michael Collins, who died in 2010. In the course of their 57-year marriage, the couple had two sons and three daughters. After raising her children, Mrs. Collins resumed her work as a copy writer/editor in jobs at Pomeroy's Department Store and the Franklin Mint.

A gifted mezzo-soprano, Mrs. Collins performed in New York live and on television before her marriage. In Philadelphia, she sang for the Lyric and Grand opera companies, and was a founding member of the Opera Company of Philadelphia. Her work in sacred music included serving as a founding member of Vox Renaissance Consort and the Ama Deus Ensemble.

Her deep faith led to membership in Catholic organizations such as the Catholic Philopatrian Society of Philadelphia and the Papal Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, in which she held the rank of Lady Commander, with Star. She also participated in local politics, serving as election inspector and working on a number of gubernatorial campaigns.

Mrs. Collins had a great love of the ocean, and welcomed family to her home on the beach in Ocean City, New Jersey, where she spent every summer swimming, walking on the beach, and reading poetry.

Her greatest gifts were the great love and joy that made her the glowing heart of her family. This extraordinary warmth is what will be most remembered by the sister, five children, nineteen grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren who survive her.

Viewing will be on Saturday morning , August 11, from 9:15 to 10:15 at St. Monica’s Church , 635 1st Ave , Berwyn Pa.

Funeral Mass to be celebrated at 10:30 am. Interment at Holy Sepulchre. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Relief Services, PO Box 17090, Baltimore Md. 21203-7090.