Grace Maureen Collins

JULY 27, 1947 – NOVEMBER 5, 2023

Grace Maureen (Fayers) Collins, 76, passed away Sunday, November 5, 2023 in Round Rock, Texas with her family by her side.

The eldest of two, Grace was born in Assiniboia, from the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, in 1947 to Neville Wogan Kevin Sarsfield Fayers and Elizabeth Ellen (Stewart) Fayers. Grace graduated from David Thompson Secondary School (high school) in Vancouver.

In 1967, Grace married at the age of 20 and had two children: Alex and Gordon. After her divorce from her first husband, she remarried in 1972 and went on to have three more children: Matthew, Stephen, and Gloria.

Pursuing opportunities for her family, Grace immigrated to the United States at the age of 32 and settled in the Houston, Texas area. She helped build a successful business and housing community, where she served as the property manager. When she became an official US citizen at the age of 53, she was honored to be a part of the country where she built her life, excitedly telling everyone she knew.

Grace was passionate about art and creative fulfillment. She majored in fine arts and art history, studying at Vancouver Community College and Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, where she was one of the first students. She later went on to become an art teacher, beloved by her students and known for dedicating her free time to community activities and student portraits. Craft projects were a constant in the Collins household with Grace at the helm, including anything from oven baked stained glass ornaments to macaroni adorned keepsake boxes. She continued to be creative into her golden years, giving her grandchildren art lessons and drawing, with cats as a favorite subject.

As a loving mom all about family, Grace knew how to create cherished memories for her children and make everything special. Often, it was a jovial board game night of Monopoly, Pictionary, or Taboo, best accompanied by a heaping bowl of M&Ms. Watching a movie wasn’t just letting the television be a babysitter; she’d bake melty chocolate chip cookies, open the sleeper sofa, snuggle with her kids, and make an ordinary event magical.

Grace was also a skilled genealogist, avid bird watcher, green-thumbed gardener, British murder mystery connoisseur, coffee addict, baseball fan, crochet enthusiast, and dedicated to her Christian faith. She loved white daisies, sunflowers, carrot cake, fish and chips, vegetables, and anything with a smiley face on it. She will be forever missed.

Grace is survived by her five children and their spouses Kathleen and Monica, brother Bruce and his wife Heather, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She took pride in being a grandmother and “Nana” to her seven grandchildren Sierra, Evie, Bella, Ethan, Luc, Andy, and Charlie.

A celebration of Grace’s life will be held on Monday, November 20 at Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home. Guests are invited to visit with family beginning at 11:30 a.m. The funeral service will begin at noon. Following the service, a light lunch will be served for guests to gather and share their favorite Grace stories. Cook-Walden Chapel of the Hills Funeral Home is located at 9700 Anderson Mill Rd., Austin, Texas 78750.

For faraway family and friends unable to attend in person, the services can be watched remotely through a live streaming video. The link will be provided upon request.

A graveside service will follow at Our Lady of the Rosary Cemetery, located at 330 Berry Ln., Georgetown, Texas 78626.

To share a fond memory of Grace or send a condolence to her family, visit www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.