Rita Collins

Madison, WI/ Orlando, FL - Rita M. Collins passed away peacefully on Sunday, September 1, 2019. She was born on June 26, 1931 to Clarence and Dorothy (Lang) Fose. She graduated from Edgewood High School and attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison where she was a member of the Sigma Kappa sorority. She met the love of her life, Robert L. Collins, on a blind date and they were married on February 9, 1957. They were blessed with four children. Rita loved being a wife and a mother and was a fabulous cook (with desserts being her specialty), a voracious reader and a member of the Monona Library Board, St. Anne's Society, Shady Ladies, Newcomers and the Red Hat Society. In 1977, she went back to work and had a successful career with Piper, Jaffrey and Hopwood, E.F. Hutton and PaineWebber (now UBS). She enjoyed traveling in the U.S. and internationally and playing Bunco, Bridge and Uno.

Rita was an amazing wife, mother, daughter, sister, sister-in-law, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother. She is survived by her four children: Mark (Patricia) Collins of Orlando, FL; Julie Newman (Christopher Amato) of Tustin, CA; Lisa Collins of Madison, WI and Craig Collins (Matthew Wells) of Washington, DC; four grandchildren: Christopher Collins (Monica King) of Manlius, NY; Mark A. Collins (Tunisia Scott) of Orlando, FL; Samuel Collins and Nicholas Collins of Orlando, FL; three great grandchildren: Mark Collins, Jr., Savannah Collins and August Collins; three sister-in laws: Margaret (Horkey) Fose, Rita (Bisbee) Fose and Susanne (Ortega) Collins along with numerous nephews, nieces, cousins, grand-nephews and a grand-niece. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, two brothers Dale Fose and Duane Fose, brother-in-law Bernhardt Collins, sister-in-law Delores Collins, three nephews, David Fose, Bernhardt Collins, Jr., and Robert Fose, a niece Kimberly Malesewski, grandson Adam Collins and faithful dog Bentley.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, September 19, 2019 at 11:30 a.m. at OUR LADY QUEEN OF PEACE CHAPEL with Monsignor Kenneth J. Fiedler presiding with a one hour visitation prior to the service. Interment will be at Resurrection Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, please make memorials in her name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital ( http://giftfunds.stjude.org/ritacollins ) or Edgewood High School.

Cress Funeral & Cremation Service
3610 Speedway Road Madison
(608) 238-3434