Novella "Tootsie" Collins

Asheville - Lydia Novella Tootsie Collins, 73, of 158 Flynn Branch Road, passed away Wednesday, July 27, 2011 at the Memorial Campus of Mission Hospitals. A lifelong resident of Buncombe County, she was a graduate of Woodfin High School, and retired from Square D. Mrs. Collins had been a member of New Liberty Baptist Church since 1958, where she sang in the choir, served as Sunday School teacher, and was the head of the Serving Committee. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and Christian. Mrs. Collins was the daughter of the late Huey Buckner and Evelyn Roller Buckner Hopper. She was also preceded in death by a son, Dewayne Dee Collins; parents-in-law: Lewis and Fannie Collins; sister and brother-in-law: Audrey and Guy Edmonds; and brother and sister-in-law: Harold and Janice Buckner. Surviving are her husband, Charles L. Collins; children: Doug Collins and wife Jacqueline, Darleen Dover and husband Sammy, Donna Shipman and husband Kenny, and Darin Collins and wife Sandy, all of Asheville; grandchildren: Danita (Kelby) Shook, Christopher Collins, Caleb Collins, Eric Dover, Jennifer Dover, Phillip Shipman, Ryan Shipman, Travis Collins, Terrance Collins, Trent Collins, and Connie Gault; great-grandchildren: Pailey and Wyatt Shook, Justin Smith, Ashlyn Smith, Hunter Gault and Sawyer Collins; brother, Donald Buckner of Asheville; several brothers and sisters-in-law, and numerous special nieces and nephews, including Brenda Meetze and husband Butch of Charlotte. Funeral services will be held at 11 AM Saturday at New Liberty Baptist Church, with the Revs. Garry Rogers, Tommy Dorsey, Jackie Collins and Danny Little officiating. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. The family will receive friends from 10-11 AM Saturday at the church. Anders-Rice Funeral Home is assisting the Collins family.