Gladys J. Collins, 80, formerly of Massena

Gladys J. Collins, 80, of Green Valley, Ariz., and formerly of Massena, died on Dec. 19, 2010, at St. Mary's Hospital in Tucson.

A memorial service will be held at Valley Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2010.

Friends will be received in Fellowship Hall following the service.

She is survived by her husband; her brother, E.E. "Mike" Montgomery of Fort Myers, Fla.; her children, June (Tom) Catanzarite of Prescott Valley, Ariz.; Martha (Charles) Stewart of St. Charles, Mo.; Scott (Lucy) Collins of Twin Falls, Idaho; Frank (Kim) Collins of Leechburg, Pa.; and Wendy (John) Faith Beach of Sahuarita, Ariz.; 12 grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her parents.

She was born in Natrona, Pa., to Ralph and Gladys Montgomery on Jan. 8, 1929.

She graduated from the Philadelphia General Hospital School of Nursing. Her early career included care of polio patients in iron lungs. She was a Girl Scout neighborhood chairman and active in PTA activities.

When she lived in Massena, she commuted to and graduated from the State University of New York at Potsdam, in 1972, achieving a B.A. in Education.

She was a school teacher and candidate for the Massena Village Board. Upon moving to Oakmont, Pa., she was a member of Women's Aglow Fellowship and Dayspring fellowship, for whom she served on mission trips to China and the Soviet Union.

In Green Valley she served terms as president of the Women's Council of Realtors and moderator of Presbyterian Women.

She and Fred Collins celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on May 6, 2010.

Contributions in her memory may be made to the Valley Presbyterian Church memorial fund or to one's favorite charity.