Patricia Ann ("Patty") Collins passed peacefully in her sleep on January 28, 2026. It was her 87th Birthday, a complete circle of life. She is survived by her husband of 49 years James Philmore ("Phil") Collins, Jr. 6 children, 11 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren.

Patty and Phil moved to San Juan Capistrano in 1982. She was an active volunteer for 25 years in the Camino Health Auxiliary, which provides medical care to underinsured and uninsured residents of south Orange County. She also served on the Board of the Marbella Scholarship Foundation for the last nine years of her life. She was active in the Ladies Club of Marbella, holding several offices, including President, during her 25 years of membership. She had a knack for getting things done efficiently. She loved working with others, whether it was as a teammate or team leader. She helped run fundraising events for the Scholarship Foundation and organized 14 golf tournaments for the Camino Auxiliary.

Patty was an avid golfer. At Marbella, she won the overall Women's Championship once (as a senior woman) and the Senior Women's Championship twice. She also won the Women's championship at Seven Canyons Golf Club in Sedona, Arizona. In the years before she took up golf, she loved playing tennis and competed in Hill and Harbor events for many years.

Literally everyone who ever played with or against Patty, or worked with her on committees, was drawn to her by her joyful, upbeat demeanor and her genuine interest in everyone she met. Phil loved telling the story that within the first five minutes of being her partner in a mixed doubles tennis match in 1976, he realized he had never met anyone like her. She accepted his proposal of marriage seven months later. Phil had two young children, Patty had four. They merged their two families, a real life Brady Bunch.

Patty was born in Russellville, Arkansas on January 28,1939. Her father was working there as a Civilian Conservation Corps employee. They moved to Arizona shortly after her birth. Her father was a swimming coach and taught her to swim. She won the state of Arizona's freestyle championship as an 11-year- old. She was a college swimmer and diver and graduated from Arizona State University with a degree in education. She moved to California in the early 1960's.

When she and Phil were married in 1977, she was teaching in the primary grades. She especially loved the young ones. After they moved to San Juan in 1982, she took a job with MacMillan Publishing Company. She worked with them for eight years, teaching public school primary teachers in the 11 Western states how to use the new textbooks. She retired when the grandchildren started arriving and loved the many years she spent doing all kinds of things with them and with her great grandchildren.

Over the length of their marriage, Patty and Phil hosted more than two hundred dinner parties, from family birthday parties to holiday parties to parties with friends. Never once did Phil see Patty show any stress over the many details and responsibilities involved, just her usual smile and joy of life.

Patty is survived by her husband Phil, their children Kimberly Weirath, Michael Colapinto, Matthew Colapinto, Mitchell Colapinto, Cooper Collins and Elizabeth Collins Gallant.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Marbella Scholarship Foundation, https://www.marbellafoundation.com/