On Monday, February 14th, 2011, our most loved, Deborah Collins of Johnstown Road, Beckley, passed away following a long illness. She was 56 years of age. Known affectionately as Debbie all her life, Deborah Kay Thornton was born on July 19th, 1954 at Beckley. Her parents were the late Vernon and Minnie Pearl Treadway Thornton. The ninth of ten children, her brothers, Larry, Randy, and Donald and sisters, Carol Thornton, Joan Jones, Nancy Pratt, and Barbara Waddell have preceded her in death. Debbie spent her childhood at Skelton. She was a 1972 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School and the WV Institute of Technology at Montgomery. Debbie worked for the Navy in Fairfax, Va. for a period of time. A resident of Johnstown Road the past 19 years, she was of the Christian faith. Debbie had a great love for the out of doors. She loved hunting, fishing and camping. Debbie had a soft spot in her heart for Indian Creek in Summers County and the Blue Ridge Parkway. Left to cherish her memory is her dear husband of 36 years, Charles William Collins Sr; she was the beloved “Mom” to Charlie Collins Jr. and Ashley Perry and her husband “JD” all of Beckley. In this last year of her life Debbie was blessed to become “Maw Maw” to Fallyn Nevaeh and Evalynn Kay. They were the “sunshine of her life.” Debbie was the fond sister of Wilbur Thornton of Ft. Myers, Fla. and Steven Thornton of Beckley; she also raised her great nephew, Larry “Bubby” Derringer. On Friday, February 18th at 3 p.m. we will remember the life of Debbie Collins with a “Service of Remembrance” at the Melton Mortuary Chapel. Pastor Herman Bryant will be officiating. Debbie will then be laid to rest at the Blue Ridge Memorial Gardens at Prosperity. The family will receive friends from 2 p.m. until the hour of the service. And so at the end of the day, when we see “diamond glints of snow, sunlight on ripened grain and the gentle autumn’s rain…” we will think of our dear sweet Debbie. Condolences may be sent to the family’s guestbook at www.meltonmortuary.com Arrangements by Melton Mortuary Inc., Beckley.