Juanita Johns Collinsworth

Nita was born on 19 December 1931 in Winona, Minnesota to Jesse Ray and Elouise Allen Johns. She attended Grinnell College and the University of Tennessee. On 25 July 1953, she married Coy Maynard Collinsworth, her husband of 66 years. They reared five children together in Mountain Brook, Alabama.

Nita promoted Alabama’s arts and heritage through her chairmanship of the first Decorator Showhouse for the Alabama Symphony. She served as former President of the Women’s Committee of 100 and was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.

She was committed to enabling the advancement of those most in need in her community and served as President of the Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary in Birmingham, the largest in the country, and held various executive positions in P.E.O., an organization committed to educating women.

Nita had a penchant for flowers and gardening expressed through her many paintings, which have been displayed in public spaces around the south. She regularly composed flower arrangements for friends, charities, and her church, Mountain Brook Baptist.

Nita was preceded in death by her father, mother, husband, sister Lucy Johns Anderson, daughter Catherine (Cay) Harris and Cay’s husband Robert Harris. She is survived by four children: C. Mark Collinsworth and wife Lori of Bluffdale, TX; J. Mike Collinsworth of Jacksonville, FL; Carol B. Collinsworth of Birmingham, AL; and Allen C. Collinsworth and wife Didem of Fairfax, VA.

She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Richmond C. Collinsworth and wife Taylor of Dallas, TX; Alana H. C. Newkumet and husband Chase Newkumet of Coronodo, CA; W. Brian Harris of Nashville, TN; Andrew C. Harris and wife Meryl of Nashville, TN; A. Christian Hines Jr. and wife Abigail of Fairview, TN; Emery B. Hines of Birmingham, AL; A. Clarke Hines of Nashville, TN; Bora K. Collinsworth of Fairfax, VA; and Ella S. Collinsworth of Fairfax, VA. She is also survived by four great grandchildren: Caroline E. Collinsworth of Dallas, TX; Campbell C. Collinsworth of Dallas, TX; Catherine F. Collinsworth of Dallas, TX; and Monroe V. Hines of Fairview, TN. She is also survived by two siblings: Priscilla B. Gunn of St. Louise, MO and Thomas W. Johns of Delavan, IL.

The Memorial Service will be held at Mountain Brook Baptist Church on Friday, 23 June 2023 at 2 pm with visitation at 1pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Salvation Army “Nita Collinsworth Memorial Fund” via the following link: https://give.salvationarmyusa.org/NitaCollinsworth. Donations may also be made to Mountain Brook Baptist Church.