Prudence “Pru” Collier, 86, formerly of Charleston, SC, died Saturday, December 1, 2018, at Well Spring Retirement Community following a lengthy illness.
Pru was born February 21, 1932 in Radburn, NJ, the daughter of Frank Fox and Barbara Condit Fox.
As a pioneer for special education, Pru was a proud graduate of Oberlin College and received her master’s degree in special education from George Washington University. Pru was a founding member of the Paideia School in Atlanta, GA, and was a certified volunteer with the South Carolina Aquarium, where she spent more than 3200 hours introducing small children to the sea creatures she loved. Pru was a member of the Unitarian Church in Charleston, SC.
Her cousin spoke for many when she said, Pru Collier, one of the finest people I have ever been privileged to know, died on Saturday morning surrounded by a handful of us who loved her dearly. As I sat with her on Friday, I was heartened as waves of nurses who had cared for her visited and cried as they hugged her and said goodbye.
Pru had experienced more heartaches than many of us could imagine. Many of us would have turned bitter, but Pru maintained her wise, sweet, kind, loving grace. Even at the end, as her memory failed, she continued to comfort fellow residents who were agitated while providing good cheer to her caretakers.
Pru was far too spiritually advanced to be bound by the confines of any one faith. She truly was a Unitarian who saw God in all people and creatures. I described her to the hospice chaplain as a "fool for love." Although she was an utter realist about human failings and darkness, she was a reminder to all of us that love trumps all else.
I hope she has found the afterlife she hoped for -- A heaven peopled by children and teeming with poodles, cats and sea creatures, where all those she loved who have gone before are lined up waiting to hug her.
In addition to her parents, Pru was preceded in death by her son, Harry Collier, and her daughter, Arlette Collier.
Those left to cherish her memory include her sister, Patricia Fox Green, of Homestead, FL, and her two daughters: Marina Collier (Scott Pierson), of Columbia, SC, and Lisa Walker (Mike) of Lizella, GA; her granddaughter, Amy Wood (Wesley) and children, Jacob, Jorga, and Jackson; her grandson, Brad Walker (Stephanie), and son, Hudson, all of GA. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews including Bruce Green and Mike Fox (MaryAnn) of Arlington, VA, Holly Cruz (Javier) of Key West, FL, Carl Condit Green of Pahoa, HI, Tom Fox (Goy) of Bangkok, and her loving cousin Mary Stolberg of Vilas, NC
The family would like to express their gratitude to all the staff at Well Spring for all their thoughtfulness and care.
The family asks with gratitude that memorials in Pru’s name be made to the South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401; the Well-Spring Foundation, 4100 Well Spring Drive, Greensboro, NC, 27410, or Oberlin College, 50 W. Lorain Street, Oberlin, OH 44074.
Hanes-Lineberry N. Elm Chapel is assisting the Collier family.
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