Norma Jean Collins

Norma Jean Collins was born on December 27, 1949, in Little Rock, Arkansas. She passed away peacefully surrounded by family on September 11, 2024, after a long and difficult battle with pancreatic cancer.

She graduated from Paseo High School in 1967, and later received a B.A. degree in Home Economics and Textiles from The University of Central Missouri in Warrensburg, Missouri in 1975.

Norma retired from AARP in 2014 after a successful 29-year career. During that time, she held positions of director of advocacy and state and federal lobbyist. Her responsibilities included managing state, regional and local campaigns covering Social Security, Medicare, voter education, consumer education, and Medicare Part D. As an instructor at Penn Valley Community College she taught courses involving home economics, textiles and sewing.

She was a life-time member of her beloved, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., which embodied the true meaning of sisterhood. Over the years, she held numerous leadership roles and volunteered for a variety of community service projects sponsored by her Sorority. Her other volunteer activities included service as a board director and/or officer of both Prime Healthcare and the Red Bridge Greens HOA.

In the spirit of giving back and uplifting others, she accepted a post-retirement position as substitute teacher at the elementary, middle, and high school levels in the metropolitan area. Her last position was at Southeast High School Kansas City Public Schools, as permanent building substitute.

Our Norma was a woman of many gifts and talents, she loved people and was committed to serving others and helping those in need. Until the very end, Norma maintained her kindness, grace, compassion, appreciation of beauty, and love of family and friends. She was a mother, grandmother, and friend who was always there when we needed her. We will truly miss her seasoned wisdom, support, and love.

Norma leaves to forever cherish her memory: her only son Marvin Collins; two sisters Hennie Jackson and Deborah West; five grandchildren Eric, Joshua, Nicholas, Sloan and Ryan; three great-grandchildren; Russell, Zoe and Malcolm Collins; one granddaughter-in-law, Zayra Collins; and cousins Juanita Duncan, Shelly and Maurice Foster. Her legacy of love and generosity will live forever in the hearts of all she touched.

A Visitation for Norma will be held Saturday, October 19, 2024 from 10:00 AM to 10:45 AM at Mt. Moriah, Newcomer & Freeman Funeral Home, 10507 Holmes Road, Kansas City, MO 64131. A Celebration of Life will follow at 10:45 AM. An inurnment will follow services at 12:00 PM in Mount Moriah Cemetery South.

Contributions in Norma's memory may be made to Eta Zeta Zeta, may be sent electronically via Zelle to: [email protected] with note Scholarship fund for N. Collins or sent via mail to: Eta Zeta Zeta Chapter, P.O. Box 412165; KCMO 64141 with note Scholarship fund for N. Collins. Any donations made is a gift and not tax deductible since sorority is not a 501(c)(3) tax deductible organization.