Mary Frances Collins

Mary Frances Collins passed away on April 20th 2026. She is predeceased by her husband of 66 years, John Collins, her parents, George and Francis Maksim, and siblings, Ann Kirkwood and James Maksim. She is survived by her sister Martha Heimerdinger, children Trish, John Edward, Gregory Brian, Michael Patrick, and their families, including 10 grandchildren and 3 great-grandchildren.

Mary’s story lives not in her family tree, but in the hearts of her friends and family.

Mary valued her friendships. The Fraser family referred to her as GFMC, Good Friend Mary Collins. She did everything with her good friends. She went hiking with her good friends. She went out to lunch with her good friends. She baked apple pies, made raspberry jam, and gave apricot rolls at Christmas to her good friends.

Mary had a special circle of friends. “The Ladies” began when Mary and Barb Fraser met while working in the ER at Sunrise Hospital in the 1970s. Along with six other women, they formed “The Ladies of the Club.” On birthdays, they would arrive at one another’s homes wearing head-bopper headbands, singing “Happy Birthday,” and carrying gifts and bottles of Martinelli’s. They celebrated every child’s wedding and every grandchild’s baby shower, and traveled together to the Oregon coast and a golf resort in Arizona. As the years passed and birthday celebrations moved from their homes to other places, The Ladies remained by Mary’s side. On one of her final days, her Good Friend Barb Fraser (GFBF) was there to say goodbye.

Mary had a best friend: Jackie Robinson. They met in high school and spent the next 72 years laughing together. Even after Mary’s family moved across the country to Las Vegas, the two spent hours on the phone, laughing and sharing stories. When they saw each other for the last time last year, the laughter and stories were still there.

There was one final phone call. This time, Jackie did all the talking. But we know Mary was still listening when Jackie said goodbye.

Her marriage to John Collins was more than the love of a lifetime; it was the love of a generation.

On their 50th anniversary, she made a list of things she loved about him, including:

The smile in your eyes when you see me.

When you say “Draw me a picture of what you want”

That you'll help anyone I ask you to

Sitting on the deck with you on summer evenings

The list included 30 things. Small things. But for the rest of us, it's a love story, a love story we were blessed to witness, blessed to be a part of.

John built her a ranch in the desert, where families gathered for wiener roasts and potlucks, roasting hot dogs and marshmallows over the fire, sitting on his handmade tractor-seat stools, telling stories, and laughing and laughing. You’d go for a visit just to sit on the deck and drink sun tea, or join John for a beer.

Mary made sure her grandchildren knew how to scramble an egg and read a recipe from start to finish before cooking. She taught them to put on a jacket over a long-sleeved shirt, bring a water bottle on hikes, and avoid the sticky bushes.

She also taught them to look up. At The Ranch, they studied the night sky. She showed them how to find the Little Dipper. She kept books about constellations, and John had binoculars, lots of binoculars. Sometimes, she’d call just to tell them to go outside and look at the moon.

Mary taught us all how to appreciate the little things in life and be thankful for what you have right in front of you.

She taught all of us to look at the stars and sunsets and clouds.

And we hope that when you see a beautiful sunset or a special cloud or a beautiful glowing moon in the sky, you will think of her.