Patricia Collis Obituary

Patricia Ann Collis, 92, of Coloma passed away at Woodland Terrace in Coloma on Monday, Feb. 23, 2026. Arrangements have been entrusted to Starks & Menchinger Chapel, 2650 Niles Road, St. Joseph.

While Patricia's parents, Henry and Edna Bradl (Benson) were from the Ludington/Manistee area respectively, Patricia was born in Davenport, Iowa, where her parents lived at the time during her father's attendance at Palmer College of Chiropractic. They moved back to Ludington once her father finished his education. They then moved to Jackson, Mich., then Hillsdale, Mich., and finally landed in Benton Harbor.

Patricia always had a love of dancing and was a ballet dancer as a young girl. She enjoyed her education and studies and graduated as a valedictorian from St. John's Catholic High School in 1951. She worked at Whirlpool for a short time before marrying her high school sweetheart Richard L. Collis in 1953. She followed her husband to Italy where he was stationed in the U.S. Navy during the Korean War. They returned to the United States living in Coloma where they had two of their children and then to St. Joseph, where they had five more children.

Patricia worked at various jobs including Sears Roebuck in Benton Harbor, and Washington School in St. Joseph, where she was a cook in the cafeteria, however she was mostly busy with raising her children, taking them to all their educational and recreational activities. Patricia had always wanted to be a teacher and enjoyed teaching her children throughout their lives.

She also enjoyed camping and being in the great outdoors, including the beaches of Lake Michigan and Wolf Lake by Baldwin, Mich., where she enjoyed the family cabin for years and the beaches on the west coast of Florida where they spent their winters after retirement. They moved to a home on Paw Paw Lake in Coloma, where they enjoyed entertaining family and friends and later in life, they enjoyed traveling around the United States in their RV camper.

Patricia was a very strong woman and persevered during life tragedies, teaching her children to always love others while they are still here and to never take anything for granted and to always be kind and giving. She also loved spending time with all her grandchildren, passing down these great virtues to them as well. She will always be remembered for her beautiful smile, her kind heart, her impressive cooking, her great love for family and her continued love for music and dancing all the way up to the end. She will be greatly missed by her family and all of those who knew her.

Patricia is survived by her son, Tom (Diane) Collis; daughters: Karen (Greg) Mashak and Diane Collis (Sherry); grandchildren: Jaime McQuillan, Jackie Collis, Brian (Monika) Mashak, Melissa Mashak, Marshall Collis, Kathryn (Travis) Martin; many great-grandchildren and very special friend, Patti Sadler.

Patricia was preceded in death by her parents: Henry and Edna Bradl (Benson); husband, Richard L. Collis Sr.; children: Mary Carol Collis, Theresa Collis, Richard L. Collis Jr., Michelle "Shelly" Linebaugh and granddaughter, Jenifer Collis.

Visitation with the family will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Starks & Menchinger Chapel, with prayers at noon. Memorial contributions may be made to Corewell Hospice or to the Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan. Friends wishing to leave the family a message of condolence may do so at www.starks-menchinger.com.