Obituary: Donna Collins, 88, of Ludington

Donna Collins

Obituary: Donna Collins, 88, of Ludington

Donna Lee Kimberly Collins, 88, of Ludington passed away peacefully with family by her side on March 20, 2023.  Donna Lee was born on August 26, 1934 in Howell, the daughter of G. Boyden and Ruby (Spalding) Kimberly.  She graduated from Howell High School with the class of 1952 and then attended Michigan State Normal College (Eastern Michigan University) where she received her bachelor of science degree in elementary education.  After College she taught second grade at Hartland Consolidated School.

Donna Lee met her then future husband, Bill, during the summer of 1952, and they were married on December 24, 1955 at Hardy Methodist Church.  They started married life in Ludwigsburg, Germany where Bill served in the US Army and Donna taught at the Army Dependent School on the Army base.  After Bill was honorably discharged, they lived in Marion and Herbst, Indiana where Bill completed his college and seminary studies.  While in Indiana, Bill served as pastor at churches in Herbst, Peru and Muncie, Indiana before moving to Ludington in 1971.  Together, they enjoyed 59 years together travelling and spending winters in Ocala, Florida before Bill’s death in 2015.

While in Ludington, Donna Lee was an aide for special needs children and a substitute teacher for Ludington Area Schools.  She was a charter member of Chapter EU in PEO, former member of AAUW, taught Sunday School and Bible School, and always looked for way to support Bill’s ministry. She liked to do Sudoku, read, garden, bake cookies and create memory books for her grandchildren.

Along with her husband Bill, Donna Lee was preceded in death by both her parents, and her brother Charles Kimberly.  She will be greatly missed by her children David Collins (Debby), Karen Bonnette (Paul), Richard Collins (Karla), and Anne Winiarski (Greg); her 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

A ceremony to remember and celebrate Donna’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, March 27 at Community Church in Ludington with a visitation from 10 to 11 a.m. prior to the service.  Those who wish to remember Donna with a memorial donation are asked to please consider Community Church of Ludington.

Please visit Donna’s memory page at www.wymanfuneralservice.com to share a tribute or memory of Donna with her family.