Nov. 6, 1928 — Sept. 8, 2015

Nolvia I. Collins, 86, of Cassopolis, passed away at Cass County Medical Care Facility in Cassopolis, Michigan on Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2015.

A celebration of life service will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 11, 2015, at Clark Chapel and Cremation Services, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac, MI. Burial will follow at South Wayne Cemetery. Friends may visit with the family prior to the service on Friday from 3 until 4 p.m. at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to the Cass County Medical Care Facility. Those wishing to leave a memory or condolence of Nolvia online may do so at www.clarkch.com.

Nolvia was born on Nov. 6, 1928, in Antofagasta, Chile to Pedro and Victoria Tapia. She graduated with a Nursing Degree from the Nursing School in Chulumani, Bolivia. While working at the college in Chillan, Chile she met her future husband Albert Collins. Nolvia and Albert married on March 4, 1951 and moved to the United States in 1963 with their four young children. She then obtained her RN license in Illinois and Michigan. She was an RN at Northlake Hospital in Illinois, Pawating Hospital in Niles, and Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac, MI. Nolvia and Albert then started their own adult foster care which they ran for 14 years. She was a lifetime member of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church which included Dowagiac SDA, Glenwood SDA and Pioneer Memorial SDA Churches. Nolvia enjoyed raising her family of six children, cooking, gardening, sewing, knitting and crocheting.

Nolvia is survived by her son Will (Joan) Collins of Yuma, Arizona; daughter Betsy (Raul) Sanchez of Loma Linda, CA; son George (Carmen) Collins of Berrien Springs, Michigan; daughter Joyce Collins of Naples, Florida; son Kerry (Tonia) Collins of Granger, Indiana; son Edward “Ted” Collins of Chino, California; grandchildren Christopher Collins, Diana Swett, Steven Swett, Andrew Sanchez, Melody Collins and Crystal Collins.

She was preceded by her parents, her husband Albert in 1982, a second husband Aldo Vera, infant son Jerry Collins and a brother Sergio Tapia.