Paula Collins was born on September 1, 1928 in Nobility (Fannin County) Texas to Fred and Nevada Bell Sprinkle Garner. She died at Hilltop Haven in Gunter, Texas. Paula moved to Whitewright when she was only 5 years of age. Paula was a 1946 Graduate of Whitewright High School. After graduating from high school, she was employed by Childress Pharmacy, Walker Pharmacy and Farley Grain Company. In 1956 she went to work for S. H. Montgomery Insurance Agency. In 1960 she started her insurance career with Stephens & Bryant Insurance Agency. She became a Licensed Agent in the late 1960s. She retired from Whitewright Insurance Agency in 2004. On March 16, 1947 she married Austin Don Collins of Trenton, Texas. He preceded her in death on January 13, 1991. Paula was a longtime faithful member of the Whitewright Church of Christ having been baptized in 1940 by Brother Leonard Mullins on a Mother’s Day. She loved to travel and had visited many of the states in the U.S. She loved attending Country and Blue Grass shows and would often be found on Friday and Saturday nights attending one of the local shows. Paula was active in community affairs and had been secretary for the Whitewright Chamber of Commerce and also at one time served on the Board of Directors. In 1988 she was chosen by the Chamber as Citizen of the Year. She also had been a member of the Whitewright BP&W and had been chosen as Woman of the Year. In 2005 she was honored as Grand Marshal of the Whitewright Christmas Parade. Paula is survived by daughter, Donna Collins Dockery and her husband Frank of Trenton; daughter, Leslie Collins Thomas and her husband Dale of Whitewright; 4 grandchildren, Eric Dockery, Shane Dockery, Tonya Larson and Marie Albright; 6 great-grandchildren, Taelor Williams, Madilene Williams, Christopher Albright, Meaghan Larson, Chloe and Reagan Dockery; sister, Geraldine Albaugh and her husband Don of Cabot, Arkansas; brother, Freddie Garner of Whitewright; several nieces and nephews, including Maureen Mabe of Sherwood, Arkansas and Don Albaugh of Federal Way, Washington; two great-nieces, two great-great-nieces and one great-great-nephew. She was preceded in death by her husband, Austin Don Collins and by her parents, Fred and Nevada Garner. Funeral Services will be held Sunday, June 15, 2008 at 3:00pm at the Church of Christ in Whitewright. Officiating the service will be Mr. Russell Haffner. Burial will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery in Whitewright. Pallbearers will be Frank Dockery, Dale Thomas, Eric Dockery, Shane Dockery, Mark Albright and Josh Larson. Honorary Pallbearers will be John Mabe, Don Albaugh Jr. and Keith Williams. A visitation will be held Sunday from 2:00pm until service time at the church.