Darlene Collinson

Darlene E. Collinson, 77, of Galva, died Friday, February 15, 2013 in her apartment at Courtyard Estates in Galva. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, February 20th, at Messiah Lutheran Church, Galva. Rev. Linda Winkelman will officiate. Cremation will take place after the service and an inurnment service will be held at 10:00 a.m. Thursday at the Galva Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Galva Chapel of Stackhouse-Moore Funeral Services. Memorials may be made to Messiah Lutheran Church, the Galva Fire Department, the Galva Historical Society, or Black Hawk College, East Campus.

Darlene E. Robbins was born May 13, 1935 in Kewanee, the daughter of Clifford and Edna Josephson Robbins. She was educated at Yale School in rural Knox County and LaFayette school, and graduated from Galva High School in 1953. Her marriage to James W. Collinson took place on April 3, 1955 in Galva. He passed away August 3, 2008. Darlene worked as a switchboard operator at the Galva Telephone Company from 1953 to 1968. She retired from Black Hawk College, East Campus in Kewanee in 1998 after 30 years. She then worked part-time as the Office Assistant at Stackhouse-Moore Funeral Services in Galva.

Her memberships include the Galva American Legion Auxiliary, the Galva Historical Society, and the Messiah Lutheran Church in Galva. She was baptized, confirmed, married, and raised her children in the church. Darlene had served on the church council and was on the Memorial Committee for many years. She had been very active with the Galva Freedom Fest, been a member of the City Cemetery Board of Managers, and was a Chamber of Commerce Galva Greeter for several years. Darlene enjoyed her friends and family.

Those surviving are a daughter and son-in-law, Teresa and Jerry Byers, two sons and daughters-in-law, Kent and Vickie Collinson, and Kevin and Lisa Collinson, all of Galva, six grandchildren; Wendy Collinson (Mark Godwin), Todd Collinson, Sarah (Tom) Clark, Nicole Byers (Dale Hogan), Nathan Byers and Jessica Youngquist, and great-grandchildren, Haley, Brandon, and James Clark, Naomi Godwin, Ellie and Branden Rouch, and one on the way. Other survivors include a sister, Mrs. Richard (Kathleen) Erickson, Waukee, IA, a brother, Dan (Brandi) Robbins, Fresno, CA, and two brothers-in-law, Roger (Ruth) Collinson, Tampa, FL, Jerry (Marie) Collinson, Troy, MO, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Her parents, her husband, and a brother, John Robbins, preceded her in death.