Jennifer Arlene Collins
Jennifer Arlene Collins (nee Coelho ) passed away on June 18, 2017 at the age of 71 after a months long battle with Inflammatory Breast Cancer. She joins her mother Irene, her father Joseph and various other relatives who pre-deceased her. She is survived by her brother Joseph (Karen), her sister Elizabeth, her two children Christopher (Hilary) and Hazel (Mike), her grandson Ethan and many friends and relatives, including her ex-husband Ian (Olive).
Jenny started her life in Calcutta, India where she lived with her family until the age of 18 when they left for England to start lives there. She started working in England, in banks and various other administrative positions while in London. During this time, she got married and in 1971 welcomed her first child Christopher. A couple of years later her new family moved to Edmonton from England, and in 1975 her second child Hazel was born. About 3 years later an opportunity came up for the family to move up to Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. It was here in the North that Jenny spent a large chunk of her life. For 25+ years, Jenny spent her time raising her children, working at various jobs, including managing a Sears, running an exercise machine business, working in the Catholic School system, and being active in the Catholic Church.
For the last 17 years or so, Jenny had since moved back to Edmonton, where she continued to make friends, be active in the community and Catholic Church. She joined the Traditional Latin Mass community where she continued to make friends and be active. Up until her cancer diagnosis, she also enjoyed working at the St. John of God bookstore, where she could do the things she loved doing - helping people and talking about her faith.
Jenny was well known for her steadfast faith in God and her willingness to make friends.
Funeral Mass
11:00AM Thursday June 29, 2017
St. Edmund's Catholic Parish
13120 116 St NW, Edmonton, AB
Interment
Holy Cross Cemetery
Memorial Donations
Cross Cancer Institute, the Driver Volunteer program at the Cross, or a cancer society of your choice.
Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon her. May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed, through the mercy of God rest in peace.
Our condolences to Jenny’s family. She will forever be in our prayers. God’s blessing and peace be with you during this time of sorrow.
Very sorry. She was a lady of faith. She was my nanny for a few years. I was hoping to see her this summer at Lac st anne or the bookstore. We stopped in for a visit 3 summers in a row. Good bye Jennifer.
Our deepest condolences to you and your family.
Dear Christopher and Hazel and family,
My Condolences.
Jenny has been a dear friend for many years since she moved to Edmonton.
I moved to Calgary in Dec. 2010 but our friendship continued.
She was very generous, welcoming, charitable fun and deeply believed in God,
our Savior Jesus Christ and His only Catholic Church. Spoke the truth ready.
Her passing I did not expect and I will miss her and our chats a lot.
May God Bless you with her Faith.
Love to you
Lina
The employees of Medbridge Investments Ltd. want to send their deepest sympathies to Chris & Hillary along with all of his family suffering the loss of great woman. You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers at this time.
I am so sadden to hear the passing of Jennifer. She was a huge part of my childhood as she was a nanny to my brother and myself. She treated us as if we were her own and she was never far from my thoughts when she moved to Edmonton. Growing up I had always wondered where she was and how she was doing, I never got the chance to thank her for all she has done, she put her life aside to help my father bring two kids up, she directed us and taught us so much in the time she had spent with us. I was so happy to see her last time we were in Edmonton as well introduce my son to her.
My deepest condolences to her family and I will be keeping her in my prayers.
Dear Christopher and Hazel,
I loved your mother as my own, and also as a sister. I was always very proud when people assumed that she was my mother. Her faith being so strong was an anchor for me. Her love for others was always the first quality people felt when in her presence. He patience was her other great quality. A great example for me. Her knowledge of her faith and her devotion to God were pillars of strength for her friends including myself. Always very organized and assiduous and dependable made it a pleasure working together. An overall great woman, no doubt.
She will be greatly missed.
My deepest condolences. May God bless you both,
Ivone
I moved to Edmonton (and Canada) in 2014 after I married my husband, a widower with seven children. Jenny welcomed me after Mass on my my first Sunday here. She was my only friend and became a part of our family. She always supported me in prayer and encouraged me as I took on a new life as a wife and instant mother (and in a new country). She adored my children and would even play baseball with them in the park after Mass. She never missed a birthday or anniversary—she was always thinking of others and letting them know that she cared.
Jenny is greatly missed, and she and her family remain in our prayers.
Hazel,
So sorry to hear about your mother’s passing. Cancer is a terrible disease. You and your family are in my thoughts – remembering the old days in high school visiting down on Otto Drive.
Leah
Dear Chris and Hazel,
Although I haven’t seen your mom for many years, she was never far from my thoughts and prayers. I considered her a friend, and she impacted my faith in such a tremendous way. I am so grateful for the time I got to spend with her. She always had good practical advice and that dry “British” sense of humour, which I appreciated ( I can see where the two of you got it from ). For a time, we were in a prayer group together. I marvelled at her steadfastness in her faith and her strength of spirit. She taught me much and I considered her a mentor. May she rest in the peace of our Lord. My deepest condolences to you both.
So sorry to hear of your loss.Jenny was a warm and loving person.May God bless you and your families.
We shall greatly miss our dear friend, Jenny, and the great times we had working together with her at St.John of God Bookstore. We had so much fun working late, doing conferences, praying and just laughing together. She was very devoted to her job, very efficient, and always ready for a challenge. She had such love and praise for her children and grandchild. Jenny was extremely faithful and tried to live her faith to the very best of her ability. She was very knowledgable about her faith and was happy to shared this with our customers. Jenny accepted circumstances in her life, prayed and trusted everything to God. She was a great example to all of us. To Hazel, and Christopher please accept our most sorrowful condolences for the loss of your Mum. May God send you and your family his peace and consolation today and always. She will always hold a special place in our hearts,
Until we meet again dear Jenny…..
Donna Wallace, Helena Lieskovsky , Ann Kloster, Lorraine Kasha and Laurie , Brent and Phyllis Redl