Elizabeth "Betty" Louise Collins

Our beloved cousin and friend, Elizabeth “Betty” Louise Collins, passed away unexpectedly at home on Nov. 9, 2024.  She was born to Alberta Collins (nee Young) and Joseph (Joe) Collins on May 9th,1954.

Betty grew up on the East Side of Hamilton and graduated from Garfield High School in 1972. After high school, she worked at K-Mart while she attended Miami University where she obtained her Bachelor’s and two Masters’ degrees in education.  After achieving her degrees, she was hired as an employee in the Hamilton City School District. She was a dedicated educator for 35 years.  She taught special education at Van Buren Elem. School for 34 years and her final year at Crawford Woods Elem.

After retirement, she continued to volunteer in the district where she tutored for a number of years. She also joined the Chi Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International (DKG) which is an honorary society of women educators.   She assumed different roles in the organization which included most recently President and Secretary.  She was an extremely active member of the Hamilton West Baptist Church where she took on many duties to serve the church and Christ. She also kept very active where she participated in the DKG Book Club, Bridgewater Falls Walking Club, and recently attended classes at Berkeley Square.

While she never had any biological children of her own, she was a dedicated “Dog Mom” to Coco, Prince, Sugar Bear, and Indy and became like a mom to many loved students.  She was one of the biggest supporters of her “stand-in” grandkids–Nathaniel, Benjamin, and Asher. You could catch her cheering them on at their different sports with so much pride.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents Alberta and Joe; her Aunt Rosemary and Uncle Donald (Young); Vicky Young (beloved cousin); her fur babies–Coco, Prince, and Sugar Bear; and various other relatives and friends.  She is survived by her fur baby, Indy; her cousins Linda (Al) Kohlas, Donna (Steve) Keener, Doug and Dennis Young, Robby Sager, Alana (Nick) Spears, Sheree (Charles) Spears, and ‘her boys’-Nathaniel, Benjamin, and Asher along with several other relatives.  She also leaves behind numerous dear friends from her church, teaching career, DKG sisters’ organization, and Walking Club.  She especially leaves behind her cherished long-time friends Jeff Harvey, Pam (nee Harvey) Lawless, Donna Furmon, Edna Warner, Kathy Hucke, Gail Schlenk, and Debbie Marston and our family wishes to thank them for their wonderful lasting friendship with her.  We also want to thank her Pastor from Hamilton West Baptist Church, David Williams, and Pastor Cecil Day of Lighthouse Church.

There will be visitation at Brown-Dawson-Flick Funeral Home, 330 Pershing Ave., Hamilton, OH 45011 on Fri., Nov. 15 from 6-8 p.m.   Funeral services will be held on Sat., Nov. 16 at 10 a.m. at the Brown-Dawson-Flick Funeral Home (Pershing Ave. location) with graveside burial following at Rose Hill Burial Park, 2565 Princeton Ave., Hamilton OH 45011.  In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Hamilton West Baptist Church, ADSOEF (Alpha Delta State Ohio Educational Foundation), or Animal Friends Humane Society.