Anna L. Collins

On January 11, 2019, Anna L. Collins of Bowie, MD passed peacefully in her sleep. Anna was born in Portsmouth, Virginia on June 16, 1919, to Redell and Anna Collins, and was the second of five children. She graduated from I.C. Norcom High School, and went to nursing school at Provident Training School for Nurses, in Baltimore, Maryland. After graduating from nursing school, she was commissioned in the Army as a Second Lieutenant. During World War II and the Korean War, she served in Army hospitals in the European theater, Japan, Korea, and the United States. She was with the first contingent of black Army Nurses to deploy to Europe during World War II. She rose in the ranks and retired as a Colonel in 1979, after 30 years of combined active and reserve time. After her active duty service, she embarked upon a second career as a Public Health Nurse in Columbus, Ohio with the Ohio Public Health Department. She also continued her education at Ohio State University College of Education. Anna was involved in church activities, community service, and she was a member of numerous professional organizations. She was preceded in death by three brothers, Jack, Phillip, and Charles, and a sister, Eloise C. Hall. She leaves to cherish her life nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family, and a host of friends.

The viewing will be on Thursday, January 24, 2019 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Corprew Funeral Home, 1822 Portsmouth Blvd., Portsmouth, VA 23704. The funeral service will be on Friday, January 25, 2019 at 11 a.m. at St. Paul’s Catholic Church, 522 High St., Portsmouth, VA 23704.  Burial will be at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery, Suffolk, VA.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Restoration Fund of St. Paul’s Catholic Church.