Plan for the Future
Barbara W. Collier, 88, died on March 27, 2022, at her residence in the Garden Terrace Nursing Home in Chatham, NJ. She passed peacefully from natural causes, following a long decline due to Alzheimer’s.
Born in Flint, MI, Mrs. Collier was raised by two loving women – her mother, Winifred Wellington, and her grandmother, Mae Wellington – both of whom preceded her in death. Her mother, “Winnie”, was a longtime employee of General Motors and a charming, gentle soul. Her grandmother, “Buddy”, was a strong, proud daughter of Irish immigrants and a role model to the granddaughter who admired and cherished her.
Mrs. Collier attended college (the first of her family to do so) at Michigan State University on an academic scholarship, graduating with a degree in political science before taking graduate courses at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.
Following her marriage to Colby L. Collier (divorced; recently deceased), she began her first career as a schoolteacher, a profession she continued after moving to Irvington-on-Hudson, NY. There she spent time teaching at the Dows Lane Elementary School in Irvington and Sleepy Hollow High School in Tarrytown, NY, before moving into an HR role with the Xerox Corporation and a series of training roles with Heinz/Weight Watchers.
She finished her working career with stints at the Irvington Public Library and a volunteer role with the Irvington Historical Society. She also enjoyed a long association with the Irvington Presbyterian Church, singing in its choir and serving for a time as a deacon.
A resident of Irvington for over 40 years, Mrs. Collier had connections throughout the community, many through ties to her sons, Colby W. Collier and Christopher L. Collier, who were both raised in the village, and others through her own extensive friendships.
A lover of animals and the natural world, Mrs. Collier could often be found walking the Croton Aqueduct trail that runs through many riverside towns in Westchester County, gathering wildflowers and greeting passersby and (especially) their dogs along the way.
Mrs. Collier is survived by her sons Colby (wife, Sheila Collier) and Chris (wife, Sally Collier), and by her beloved grandchildren: Christopher B. Collier, Erin Collier McPherson, Campbell E. Collier, Colby W. Collier, Jr., and Jackson C. Collier.
Mrs. Collier was laid to rest at the Sleepy Hollow Cemetery on April 1, 2022. A memorial service will be held at the Irvington Presbyterian Church, 25 N. Broadway, Irvington, NY 10533 on Saturday, May 14th at 11:00am with a reception to follow.
