Mary T. Collins

On Thursday night October 8, 2020 Mary T. Collins of Rockville, Maryland peacefully passed away. Devoted wife of the late Denis T. ‘Tom’ Collins; loving mother of Michael, Timothy and his wife Carol, Anne Boyce and her husband Tom, Kathleen Hillstrom and her husband Paul, Terence and his wife Beth, Christine Ghiardi and her husband Giancarlo, Nancy, Sharon and the late Thomas ‘Kevin’ Collins.

Proud grandmother of 14 grandchildren Elena Schneider, Kristen Ballintyn, Megan Collins, Laura Finn, Elizabeth Fitzgerald, Michael Hillstrom, Sean Collins, Katherine Ghiardi, Mary Jo Boyce, Natalie Collins, Steven Ghiardi, James Ghiardi, Michael T. Collins, and Spencer Collins, she was also blessed with 7 great-grandchildren, Henry Jones, Collin Jones, Bree Fitzgerald, Caleb Ballintyn, Addison Finn, Molly Fitzgerald and Julian Hillstrom.

Born, Mary Josephine Tilson in Washington, DC, to Thomas C. Tilson and Mary J. Sweeney, she lived with her parents and siblings Eleanor, Anne, Thomas, and Jack in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood right around the corner from her future love and husband. Most often described as “sweet” by all who knew her, she was genuinely interested and kind to everyone she met. She constantly put her family’s needs above her own and when needed could drop her sweet demeanor and strongly advocate for her children.

She danced while cooking, hummed to herself while cleaning and always sang on family road trips. When she wasn’t busy caring for her extensive family and friends, she loved gardening, reading, and visiting museums.

A private mass will be held at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, 520 Veirs Mill Rd, Rockville, MD 20852 on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, followed by the burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery on Baltimore Road.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Washington, DC, http://www.catholiccharitiesdc.org.