Dean Diane Collins

Dean " Diane" Jackson Collins was born on August 8, 1956 in Houston, Texas to John Henry Blunt and Ora Mae Jackson Blunt. As a child, she and her siblings relocated to El Dorado, Arkansas with their father. Dean attended school in the El Dorado School District. Later in life, she completed a cooking course at SouthArk Community College where she received a culinary certificate, which was one of her proudest moments in life. She accepted Christ into her life early on at First Baptist Church-Cordell, and became a faithful and loyal servant at New Jerusalem in Magnolia, Arkansas. She was dedicated to serving on the hospitality and anniversary committees at her church. Dean enjoyed being a servant of the Lord, and she found fulfillment in uplifting every heart that she could possibly touch. Her journey into the workforce was in 1974 at the El Dorado Golf and Country Club, where she started out in food prep, later became the head cook, and kitchen supervisor. One of her passions in life was cooking, and she did it well. She enjoyed her job; serving, cooking, baking, and making people smile while doing what she loved, for almost 45 years. On June 8, 1973 she joined in marriage to James G. Collins. They were blessed with three beautiful daughters, Tabitha, Brandy, and Angie. Dean raised her daughters in a Christian, God-fearing home. She was a loyal, dedicated, hardworking, loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, coworker, and friend. Her gift in life was giving. She was glorious with acts of kindness, spreading her love and humility to all who encountered her. She was certainly the rock and the heart of the family. The love that she gave to her grandchildren was visible every time she looked at them. To have known her was a gift and to have been loved by her was a blessing. On November 4, 2017 Dean "Diane" Collins went to be with the Lord. She was preceded in death by her parents, John Henry and Ora Mae Jackson Blunt, and eldest sister, Jennie Wright. Survivors cherishing her memories are: her husband, James G. Collins, three daughters; Tabitha Collins (Anthony White), Brandy (Bobby Ray) Purifoy all of El Dorado, and Angie Collins of Shreveport, Louisiana; grandchildren, Raven Purifoy of Conway, Arkansas, Malik Collins, and Tatyana White both of El Dorado; five sisters, Linda Mims of Houston, Texas, Gloria Smith, Eddie Mae Ross, both of El Dorado, Shelia Sanders of San Francisco, California, and Floyeshia (Senica) Miller of Little Rock, Arkansas; two very special long time friends; Jimmie Ann Barnes and Lois Hayes both of El Dorado, and a host of nieces, nephews, relatives and friends Visitation Friday, November 10, 2017 from 12-5pm at Sims Mortuary with a family hour from 6-7 pm. Funeral services are at 11:00 am on Saturday, November 11, 2017 at New Providence Baptist Church. Interment at Arlington Cemetery under the direction of Sims Mortuary. Sign the guestbook online at www.simsmortuary.com To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Dean Diane Collins, please visit our flower store.