Marylyn Ann Davis Collins, of Shrewsbury and formerly of Rumson, passed away at home on Wednesday, March 1 after a battle with cancer. She was born in Newark. The family moved to Oceanport Park on the Shrewsbury River when she was three. Marylyn graduated from Long Branch High School in 1949 with scholastic and athletic honors.
She worked as an executive assistant to the Fort Monmouth Command and later held the same position at The Charms Candy Company in Newark. Her most adventurous position, however, was as one of the first women pursers hired by an American steamship line. She sailed with Moore McCormack to the British West Indies and South America for several years, igniting her lifelong passion for travel.
In 1955 Marylyn travelled to Hawaii to join her beloved sister and brother-in-law. Although she fell in love with the islands, after a year she decided she missed the change in seasons and returned to the East Coast. Marylyn then met her future husband, T Collins, and they married in 1957. They settled in Rumson where they lived for 46 years and raised their five children.
Marylyn’s most cherished roles were as mother and grandmother. She lived for her children and grandchildren and shared her love limitlessly and without judgement. Marylyn took great pride and joy in witnessing their many accomplishments. She was an almost permanent fixture in the stands and bleachers, as a member of the audience, and as a viewer of webcasts for over 50 years.
Her life was full and included volunteer work at Deane Porter and Forrestdale schools, coaching duties with Rumson Recreation Soccer and even the achievement of Lady Proficient Member of the Shrewsbury Power Squadron.
She took great pleasure in both cold and warm weather sports including ice skating, ice boating, sledding, fishing, boating and golf. True to form, she even scored a hole-in-one during a vacation in Barbados. Traveling was also a great love and she and T enjoyed worldwide adventures, golfing and exploring destinations across Europe, the South Pacific, the Caribbean and Central America.
Marylyn had a shining and outgoing personality and always held an optimistic outlook on life. She had many friends and was fortunate to count a few as lifelong pals.
She was predeceased by her parents, Patrick Davis and Grace Landauer Davis; her stepmother, Anne Davis; her sister, Patricia Davis Bryan; her husband, Robert B. (T) Collins; and her daughter, Kimberly Grace Collins. Marylyn is survived by her four children, Tracy Morris and her husband Rick of Clearwater, Florida, Rip Collins and his wife Mary Jo of St. David’s, Pennsylvania, Patricia Finaldi and her husband Ralph of Fair Haven and Lynn Volker and her husband Chuck of Fair Haven; and her grandchildren, Robert and his wife Montana, Grace, Emily, Charlie, Jack, Brian, Megan, Henry and John.
Memorial donations may be made in her name to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org).
