Ruth Collins

Ruth Collins Obituary

Ruth (Mary Bullock) Collins, age 100, passed away peacefully October 20, 2025, at Oxley Health & Rehab in Lyons, Georgia. She was born May 18, 1925, in Brisbane, Australia, to the late Walter Henry & Martha Anna Bullock. She had one brother, John (Jack) Francis Bullock. Her life was centered on family, faith and music. Her father was music director at the Methodist church where she played piano and sang in the choir along with her brother Jack. It was at this same Methodist church where she met her husband, Joe Everette Collins, who was stationed in Brisbane, in 1944-45. They were married May 5, 1945, just before Joe’s unit deployed to the Philippines. After the war ended, she sailed to the United States in 1946 to live with Joe in Collins. They also lived in Lyons for 2 years, Hinesville for 20 years, and Blakely for 7 years before returning to Collins in 1977 and finally to Vidalia in 2002.Ruth enjoyed teaching piano most of her life. She was a telephone switchboard operator during WWII in Brisbane and Hinesville. She was church secretary at First Baptist Church, Hinesville. She always served as a church organist, pianist and Sunday school teacher wherever she was a church member. In addition to her parents and brother, Ruth is preceded in death by her husband, Joe, son John Patrick and his wives Catherine Willis and Lori Fahey. They are survived by their children Jason (Becky) Collins, Roslyn (Michael) Martinez, Jordan (Sehnaz), Regan, Rohan (Lane) and Kieran (Olivia) Gallagher. Ruth is survived by two sons, Adrian Peter (Maria) and children Lillian (Zach), Adrianna (Chandler) and Carolyn and Mark Everette (Paula) and children Valerie (Jason), Brett (Jessica) and Joanna (Roy). In addition to her 21 grandchildren, she has 15 great grandchildren.

The funeral service will be held on Thursday, October 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Collins First Baptist Church with Reverend Steve Kimbrell and Reverend Mark Jones officiating. Friends will be received by the family at the church from 10:00 a.m. until just prior to the service. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Ruth’s memory to the cemetery fund of Collins First Baptist Church, PO Box 218, Collins, GA 30421 or Parkinson’s Foundation, www.parkinson.org, donate-tribute gift.

Ronald V. Hall Funeral Home of Vidalia is in charge of arrangements.