Roosevelt Riley Collins, affectionately known to many who loved her as "Granny" was born December 19, 1922 in Attala County Mississippi, to Willie Bell Riley and Mary Ella Bates Riley. She quietly exchanged life for eternity on Monday, February 10, 2020, at her home in Sallis, MS.

Her formal education was received in the Attala County School System. She received her Bachelor's Degree from Jackson State University. She later received her Master's Degree and Specialist from Mississippi State University.

She was a strong advocate of education and truly loved her profession. She dearly loved seeing children learn and often bragged that she had few discipline problems during the 36 years that she worked in the Attala County School System. She often said she loved her students and her students loved her.

She accepted Christ at an early age united with the Palestine Missionary Baptist Church. She was an active member and served in various capacities over the years until her health started to decline.

Granny loved cooking and caring for her family. She was known for her cakes and pies. She was a very loving and giving person and would help anybody in any way she could. She especially held dear to her heart the last class she sponsored, the class of 1970. She felt that the members of that class were some of her greatest accomplishments and was always delighted to hear from them and looked forward to their reunions.

She was united in Holy Matrimony to George Richard Collins on June 10, 1947 and they were Blessed with two daughters.

Her parents Willie Bell and Mary Ella Riley, husband Richard Collins, brother Dock Riley and sister Gladys Slater all preceded her in death.

She leaves to cherish her memory two daughters: Georgia Faye (Norah) Stewart, Sallis, MS and Tomeka (McKinzie) Gray, Kosciusko, MS; one sister: Leora Wigley, Sallis, MS; one foster brother: Edward Bates, Sacramento, CA; Grand-daughters: Natosha (Lawrence) Simmons, Shanatosha (Benjamin) Lewis and Nyla Culp; Grandsons: Brady Jones, Jaden Collins, Richard Kern, Norah (Annette) Stewart IV, Alonzo (Gia) Stewart and Ed (Keisha) Stewart; eighteen great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one nephew: Dock Riley, Jr.; Special God Daughters: Robbie Barfield, Brenda Jackson, Juanita Fleming and Sadie Clark and a host of cousins and friends.

~PLACE OF SERVICE: Durant Baptist Church, Durant, MS

~DATE OF SERVICE: Sunday 2/16/2020 @ 1:00 P.M.

~INTERMENT: Bunker Hill Cemetery, Sallis, MS