Anne H. Collins' Obituary
Shirley “Anne” Hunsucker Collins, affectionately known as “Mimi,” entered her heavenly home on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, at the age of 88. She was born on April 2, 1937, in Slayden, Mississippi. Anne grew up as a member of Slayden Baptist Church, where she played the piano for services and was baptized at age 12. Her faith was central to her life, and she often said she was at church “every time the doors were open.”
Anne graduated as valedictorian of Marshall County Agricultural High School before attending Blue Mountain College and Mississippi State College for Women, where she studied Home Economics and Education.
In 1958, she met the love of her life, Robert “Red” Collins—“Bobo” to their grandchildren–at Mississippi State University. They married the following year and recently celebrated 66 years of marriage, filled with joy, laughter, and faith. Together they raised four children—Bobby Collins, Tanya C. Kirby (Tim), Geri C. Breeden (Tommy), and Kelly Collins —first in Biloxi and later in Memphis, where the family became active members of Mullins United Methodist Church.
Anne and Red’s family grew to include four grandchildren: Kassie McAlexander (Jeff), Elizabeth Sain (Brock), Caitlyn Bauslaugh (Brian), and Nicole Robison (Chris). Their joy multiplied with five great-grandchildren: Collins McAlexander, Martha Kay McAlexander, Henry Sain, Katie Sain, and Hudson Bauslaugh. To them, she was lovingly referred to as “Mimi” or “Little Mimi”
Anne’s greatest calling was her role as wife, mother, and grandmother. She was devoted to her home and family, faithfully cooking three meals a day and filling her home with warmth. Her children recall Sunday lunches after church, where Mimi’s roast, potatoes, carrots, peas, cornbread, and chocolate sheet cake became a beloved family tradition. Holidays and birthdays were always marked by her food, her laughter, and her love.
When her youngest child Kelly began school, Anne began teaching—first at Trenor’s Private Day School and later in Memphis City Schools, where she taught 7th and 8th grade science for 20 years. She was respected by students and colleagues alike for her intelligence, kindness, and steady presence.
Mimi’s talents were many, but she especially shined in the kitchen, where she could create unforgettable meals with ease, never needing to glance at a recipe. She was a gifted seamstress, making countless outfits for her children and grandchildren, including a high school prom dress that her daughter Geri treasured. She had a gift for stretching every dollar, and she found joy in shopping—never without her coupons in hand. Macy’s may still owe her money!
She and Bobo shared countless adventures. They loved Mississippi State football weekends in Starkville with their friends in the M-Club room. They traveled to the Hawaiian Islands, the mountains out West, and the white sands of Destin. They purchased timeshares in Hilton Head and Destin so the entire family could vacation together, eat seafood, and play on the beach. They also loved simpler joys—gardening, canning vegetables, and spending time at Pickwick Lake. Family boating trips were marked by her famous “hobo meals,” fried chicken, and butterscotch brownies, pulled from her picnic basket that amazed everyone around them. She lathered on Hawaiian Tropic suntan oil and cheered as Red taught the children to waterski.
Anne’s sense of humor often shone in unexpected ways. Anne being the quieter of the pair, she would often listen and just let Red carry on talking about football or any story that was on his mind while traveling, her sitting in the backseat of their traveling van. On one road trip to Austin, Red unknowingly left her behind at a gas station in West Memphis while chatting with an old coach he ran into. Ten miles down the road, a panicked call came in—he had driven off without her! Though frightening at the time, it became one of the many stories the family laughs about to this day.
She loved her children fiercely. She was always so proud of Bobby and his talent in landscaping, who built her beautiful stone patios overlooking the lake that she adored so much. She enjoyed traveling to Texas to visit Tanya and her family, always appreciating Tanya’s delicious cooking and the chance to take a break from her own kitchen. She also loved spending time at Geri and Tommy’s farm, surrounded by horses and cattle, which reminded her of her childhood. She spoiled her youngest daughter, Kelly, even letting her write “Dorothy Hamill” on her second-grade schoolwork, complete with the haircut to match.. She laughed affectionately every time her son-in-law Tommy entered the room, greeting him with her nickname “Teeter” and she always let Tim be the eager “food sampler” during holiday meals.
She especially loved spending time watching her grandchildren in their activities. She cheered proudly as Kassie tap-danced across the stage at countless recitals (and their back patio). She delighted in watching Elizabeth on the sidelines as a school cheerleader, and she treasured trips to Texas to see Caitlyn and Nicole perform with their cheer and dance teams. Nothing brought her more joy than celebrating the accomplishments of her grandchildren and being present for the moments that mattered most to them. And teaching them to make her famous cornbread!
Through every season of her life, Anne was known for her humility, dignity, wit, and grace. She was a faithful friend, a loving mother, a proud grandmother and great-grandmother, and above all, a devoted wife. She taught her family to love God, work hard, serve others, and cherish one another.
Mimi’s legacy is one of selfless love, strong faith, and endless laughter. She gave all she had to her family, and they, in turn, adored her. As her husband Bobo often said, “There’s just not a better woman than your Mom and Mimi.”
She will be deeply missed, but her family rests in the joy of knowing she is home with her Savior, and her love will live on in every life she touched.
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