Bessie Collins

COLLINS, BESSIE VIRGINIA THOMPSON, age 79, of Dublin, left to be with her heavenly Father on Thursday, November 8, 2007.

Bessie attended the Church of God, loved working outside in the yard and her cats and dogs. She lived in the Riner community until the death of her husband, George Allen Collins in January, 1964. The daughter of the late Fuller and Liza Gillenwater Thompson, she was also preceded in death by brother, James William (Billy) Thompson, sister, Rose Zella (Hose) Duncan and son-in-law, Darrell Tate.

She is survived by daughters and son-in-law, Jean Collins Tate of Pulaski, Elma Thompson and Gene Tallant, Dublin; grandchildren and spouses, Allen and Julie Lawson and their children, Stephanie, Daniel, Emily and Rebecca , Roanoke, Wanda and David Reed and their children, Brandon, Justin and Kaitlyn, of Huntsville, AL, Rick and Mandy Lawson, and their children, Elijah, Savannah, Radford, VA, Angela Tallant and daughter, Monique, Dublin, Eugene and Ann Tallant and children, Thomas, Amanda; two great-great grandchildren, Destinee Landreth and Bryce Wall; two special nieces, Kathy Surface and husband, Jerry, Christiansburg, Helen Linkous and husband, Woody, Blacksburg. The family would like to express special thanks to caregivers, Trisha Hogan and Rachel Tolbert at Highland Ridge; also surviving are many other nieces and nephews and their families.

Friends may call anytime after 12 noon Saturday, Nov. 10, at the Horne Funeral Home, Christiansburg, where the family will receive friends from 5 until 8 Saturday evening. Funeral services will be 2 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 11, in the Horne Funeral Home Chapel conducted by Pastor Jerry Otey with interment to follow in the Altizer Family Cemetery, Riner, VA.