Paul Collins
Paul D. Collins, 87, passed peacefully on October 29, while receiving last rites, with his wife of 60 years at his side.
Born in New York City on August 12, 1925, to John F. and Eda R. Collins, he was a graduate of the Browning School in New York City and Georgetown University, which he attended after serving his country in the Navy during World War II.
For 35 years, Mr. Collins was an executive for the E. F. Timme & Son Company in New York City.
On June 28, 1952, he married Joan Higgins at St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York City. This past summer, for their 60th wedding anniversary, the couple renewed their vows at St. Patrick’s Cathedral, with all of their children serving as witnesses.
The Collins family lived in Rye for over 30 years, and for the past 22 years lived in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
Father of six, grandfather of seventeen, and great-grandfather of two, Mr. Collins had a wonderful life full of family fun, good humor, and great friends.
He was a past member of the Apawamis Club, as well as the Sawgrass Country Club in Ponte Vedra Beach, and a lifetime member of the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick.
In addition to his wife, Joan, he is survived by his children: Paul D. Collins Jr. of Monroe, Conn.; Eda (Candy) C. Murphy of Baltimore; John F. Collins and his wife Monica of Greenwich; Stephen P. Collins and his wife Elizabeth of Rye; Joan C. Mueller and her husband, Scott of Montclair, N.J.; and Kathleen C. Barron and her husband Rob of Pelham.
A Memorial Mass will be held at the Church of the Resurrection on Saturday, December 15 at 11 a.m., with a reception to follow in the Lower Church Hall.
Donations is Mr. Collins’ memory may be made to Heartland Hospice Memorial Fund, 8130 Bay Meadows Way West, Jacksonville, FL 32256.
Mary Susan Miller
Mary Susan Miller passed away peacefully on November 16 at her home at Lasell Village in Massachusetts. She was 90.
Mrs. Miller, known as Sue to her friends, was on the faculty at Rye Country Day School from 1958 to 1972. She taught English and later served as Principal of the Middle School, where two of her children, Amy and Eric Miller, and one of her grandchildren, Noah Gittell, attended school. She went on to the Berkeley Institute in Brooklyn as headmistress.
Born in New York City to Myron and Sue Morris, she lived much of her adult life in Manhattan and Old Greenwich, but her favorite home was in Sherman, Conn., on Green Pond. She was married twice, to Peter Wolf, and then to Edward Miller. In the last decades of her life, she lived with her partner, Conrad Rosenberg.
She was the author of a number of books, including “No Visible Wounds and “The School Book”, but the greatest passions of her life were family and travel. If the path was well-traveled, Mrs. Miller looked in the other direction. Among the places she shared with her family and friends were expeditions to Lapland, Greenland, Morocco, Outer Mongolia, and Antarctica.
She also loved Owens, Elvis, Keats, gin martinis, Shakespeare, Peter Martins, laughter, lighthouses, and dogs.
Mrs. Miller is survived by her three children, five grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She was predeceased by her brother, Jean Morris.
Donations in her memory may be made to Hospice of the Good Shepherd, 2042 Beacon Street, Waban, MA 02468.
