Jerri Collins

Geraldine "Jerri" Young Collins, 75, of Crestview Hills, died Sunday, November 22 at Hospice of St. Elizabeth Healthcare, Edgewood.

Jerri was raised in Erlanger and was a graduate of Lloyd Memorial High School, where she played the flute in the band. After graduation, she worked in retail until she married Tom Collins and started a family. For most of her adult life, if she wasn't at Summit Hills Country Club playing Bridge or Hand and Foot, she was devoting her time and energy to community service.

He husband, Tom, was a long-time member of the Crestview Hills City Council, and was still serving his community at the time of his death in 1989. Jerri was asked to complete his term on City Council and then went on to serve on the Crestview Hills Ethics Board for several years. She is also a past President and long-time member of the Crestview Hills Women's Club.

Jerri has a long history of involvement as a volunteer in Northern Kentucky. She was the chair woman of the Edgewood Fourth of July Parade in the 1960's and an active member of the Villa Madonna Academy Mother's Club from 1966 to 1977. As a volunteer for St. Elizabeth Hospital, she was involved in Toddler Inn, one of the first child care facilities in the area, and the Second Time Around Shop, a resale shop that raised funds for the hospital. When her children were beginning drivers, they often shared the car with numerous 30 gallon trash bags filled with clothing Jerri had picked up from donors to transport to the Covington shop for sorting and pricing.

Jerri served on the Board of the Charity Guild, as well as the Junior Board for Crippled Children. A very reluctant driver, she didn't obtain her driver's license until she was well into her 30's. Her husband, Tom, finally coerced her into driving by giving her a station wagon to transport their children to school, which she promptly used to transport handicapped children to various places for the Stepping Stones organization as well.

As a volunteer for Thomas More College, Jerri was an integral part in the creation of what became a long standing fundraising tradition, the annual haunted house. For years, it was not unusual for the dining room of the Collins' home to contain monsters, costumes, and on one occastion, a handmade pine casket through the months of September and October. If a college student was unable to work the haunted house for some reason, Jerri had no problem enlisiting her children to fill in. One year her daughter, Colleen, and several friends spent all weekend emerging from "graves" to scare unsuspecting adults, and another year, they were ghosts and spent their Halloween weekend leading children up the rock stairs to the entrance of the haunted house. After frightening a large portion of the population of Northern Kentucky for Thomas More College's benefit, she moved on to volunteering at their weekly Bingo and, more often than not, she stayed to play. More recently, Jerri's involvement has been with the Angel Guild and St. Luke Hospital, where she is a life-time member of the Auxiliary.

Politics, more specifically, the Republican Party of Northern Kentucky, received most of Jerri's time and attention in recent years. She has supported many campaigns, and quite possibly holds some kind of record for collecting and sharing red, white, and blue decorations. She has served as Secretary for the Kenton County Republican Women's Club, and served as Fourth District Co-Governor for the Kentucky Federation of Republican Women. She is a past recipient of the Mary Bunning award, and the Life-Time Achievement Award from the Kenton County Republican Party, two honors she was most proud of.

Jerri Collins spent nearly 50 years giving her time, energy, and service to the community and to the Republican Party.

Survivors include her daughter, Colleen Collins Bright of Crestview Hills; son, T. Kelly (Nancy) Collins of Independence; and grandchildren, Kyle Bright, Courtney Bright, and Connor Bright.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas "Tom" Paul Collins in 1989; son, J. Carter Collins in 2002; grandson, Coleton Thomas Bright; and parents, Edwin and Ada Antrobus Young.

Memorials are suggested to Senior Services of Northern Kentucky, 1032 Madison Avenue, Covington, KY 41011.

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