Leilani "Lani" Collins

LeiLani (Lani) Collins, was born June 18, 1948 at Ft. Mead, MD. After thirty years of battling late onset Friedreich’s Ataxia with courage, grit and grace while living independently from her power chair, the added burden of an abdominal cancer surgery in late August simply made it too hard to go on. She passed peacefully on February 19, 2026.

Lani graduated from Rhodes College (formerly Southwestern) with a BS in Biology and received laboratory science training at the Baptist College of Health Sciences. She gained certification from the American Society of Clinical Pathology as a Medical Technologist, was licensed in the state of Tennessee and earned specialty certification in Hematology. Lani was the first graduate of the University of Tennessee Health Sciences Master of Clinical Laboratory Science program.

Her first career was as a technologist and supervisor in the Special Hematology Laboratory at Baptist Memorial Hospital where she worked for 30 years. Her second act was as an Associate Professor at UTHSC for 18 years where she served in various roles on the Faculty Senate. She was an expert in her field, asked to give numerous presentations on hematology, body fluid analysis and lab management over the years throughout the United States. She also served as a laboratory inspector and consultant with the College of American Pathologists. She contributed to many hematology textbooks and professional journals published during her extensive career. She was an outstanding instructor and mentor to more than 1,000 medical lab science students, physician assistant students and pathology residents.

Honors and recognitions include those from local and state laboratory organizations, the Baptist College of Health Sciences Outstanding Alumna and she was twice received the UTHSC Excellence in Teaching Award.

Lani was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt and friend. She will be dearly missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Col. Otho Brown Collins and Dorothy Ingram Collins. She is survived by her brothers Ken Collins (Jane) of Mesa, AZ and Patrick Collins (Denny Marie) of Aurora, CO, nephews Joe, Ben and Daniel Collins as well as her most favored niece Katie Herman. She was also blessed with six great nieces and nephews along with the many babies she cared for in the Second Presbyterian day care. She was lovingly supported by Blanche Wright, her longtime caregiver, close neighbors and friends who visited her in her final days, the attentive staff at Ave Maria Skilled Nursing and an end of life care team from AccentCare Hospice. Lani’s family is eternally grateful to everyone who provided her support.

The family invites those who can to join them for a memorial reception and celebration of her remarkable life on Saturday, April 18 from 1 to 3pm at the Memphis Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, 3700 N. Germantown Pkwy, Bartlett.

Lani was diagnosed with late onset Friedreich’s Ataxia in her mid 40’s. FA is a rare, inherited neurodegenerative disorder causing progressive damage to the nervous system, typically appearing between the ages of 5 and 15. It robs people of balance, motor control and the ability to walk. Lani was a passionate advocate for finding a cure Therefore, in lieu of flowers, please make a contribution in Lani’s memory to the Friedreich’s Ataxia Research Alliance at www.curefa.org