Kathleen Collins

May 17, 1919 - June 5, 2009

IMPERIAL -- Kathleen Collins, 90, died Friday (June 5, 2009) at El Dorado Manor in Trenton.

She was born May 17, 1919, at Shelton to Albert and Clara (Eggers) Johnston. She was baptized into the Lutheran Faith as an infant and grew up on a farm near Gibbon. She attended elementary school in Gibbon through the eighth grade. She then moved with her family to Kenesaw.

She was married to Chester Paul Dennhardt on July 6, 1946. They lived in the Denver, Colo., area before moving to Sacramento, Calif., in 1960. While in Sacramento, she and her two daughters, organized their own horse shows.

After the divorce in 1968, she and her daughter, Paula moved to Imperial.

In 1976, she married Welby H. Collins. They lived in Denver until 1981, when they returned to Imperial. Her husband preceded her in death in 1996. She moved to El Dorado Manor in Trenton in May of 2008.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Welby; sister, Mabel Tjarks; and step-son, Fred Dennhardt.

Survivors include her two daughters, Karen and husband, Don Jones of Norfork, Ark., and Paula and husband, Robert Stinson of Palisade; step-daughter, Joan and husband, David Wilkey of Saluda, S.C.; one brother, William Johnston of Grand Island; one sister, Delores and husband, Jack Porterfield of Berthoud, Colo.; one granddaughter; and nephews, nieces and other relatives and friends.

Funeral services will be Tuesday at 1:30 p.m., at Liewer Funeral Home in Imperial with John Long officiating. Burial will be in the Mount Hope Cemetery at Imperial.

A memorial has been established in care of Paula Stinson, 35654 Highway 6, Palisade NE 69040.

Bullock-Long Funeral Home of Grant is in charge of arrangements.