Reta Mae Collins-Justice, age 94, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by her loving family on August 20, 2018. Reta was born in Decatur Township, Lawrence County, Ohio, on April 10, 1924, one of seven children of Eperson Preston Collins and Della Mae Conley-Collins. She attended Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, for three years and was granted a teaching certificate due to a shortage of teachers during WWII. Rita taught elementary school in Ohio until she moved with her husband Ben Justice to Melbourne, Florida, in 1959. She continued her teaching career as a substitute teacher until her retirement. Rita was a member of the D.A.R. (Daughters of the American Revolution, John Sevier-Sarah Hawkins chapter, NSDAR) and the Melbourne Garden Club.
Reta is survived by her husband, Ben Justice; her sons, William Randall “Randy” Justice and David Allen Justice (daughter-in-law Roxanne); her grandchildren, Jodi Marie Freiheit, William Andrew Banczyk Justice, and Andrew Allen Justice; and her great grandchild, David Ledford Freiheit.
She is preceded in death by her siblings, Oakley Clark Collins, Carmonelle Collins-Pinkston, Coleman Eperson Collins, Ora Lee Collins-Croy, Blanch Louise Collins-Carey, Irma Evelyn Collins-Compton.
Our beloved mother was an avid genealogist and gardener, but her family was the most important and treasured thing in her life.
Funeral Services will be held at The Life Event Center at Florida Memorial, 5950 South US Hwy 1, Rockledge, FL, on Thursday, August 23, 2018. Services will begin for the immediate family at 1:30pm with visitation from 2 to 3pm and service from 3 to 4pm. Burial will be at gravesite at 4pm with reception following on site.
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