Tamela Collins

Tamela Renee Collins, age 55, was born on October 8, 1966 as the sweet daughter of the late Lane Flowers and Lavonnie Beckham Flowers in Trotwood, Ohio. Tamela or “Tammy”, the youngest of the Flowers family, was known to be a sweet, kind, brilliant, and classy woman. Early on, she attended Trotwood Madison Middle School, earned a scholarship to go to boarding school at Culver Academies in Culver, Indiana, and graduated in 1984. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy with a minor in French at Denison University in 1989. She loved giving back to the Culver and Denison communities. She was initiated as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. at Denison and completed a semester of college at Howard University. During college, she met her best friend and partner in crime, Jennifer Norman, and gave her life to Jesus Christ. She has been walking with the Lord ever since! Tamela had a wonderful career centered around love and service. Starting off, she spent a few years at State Farm and took care of her little ones, Victoria Sumner and Chelsey Williams. As a single mom, she began to work part-time with Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland and ended up working there for ~17 years. Working there allowed her the flexibility to support her family while serving the community. She brought her girls with her to meetings/work events and exposed them to engaging cultural experiences. Exhibiting strong leadership, she earned several promotions, and spent her last several years with Girl Scouts as their Chief Operating Officer. She was exceptionally passionate about improving the futures and lives of little girls and black and brown children. Seventeen years ago, she remarried and expanded her family with Terry Collins, having a blended family of 5 children whom she loved dearly. Tamela also worked at HandsOn Central Ohio as the Chief Operating Officer, servicing homeless shelters and resourcing impoverished areas in Columbus. Tamela loved flowers and gardening, and she enjoyed scented candles. She cherished the arts, serving with and in her local and church communities, and spending time with her family. Teaching Sunday school at New Salem Baptist Church and acting in the Drama Ministry brought her much joy. In her spare time, she and her Care Group from church called Joint Heirs, cooked and served food to homeless families. She loved get-togethers with her sorors and friends from her time at Girl Scouts. Tammy enjoyed watching and going to musicals with her children and laughing it up with her sisters and family in her mother’s kitchen during the holidays. Tamela truly was a bright light, always ready with a smile and a hug, and infectiously affected so many of the lives around her. On Monday, July 18, 2022, Tamela transitioned to be with the Lord. She was preceded in death by her father, Lane Flowers, mother, Lavonnie Beckham Flowers, niece, Jennifer Morris-Greg, and father-in-law, Charles Jackson. She leaves her husband, Terrance (Terry) Collins Sr., sisters, Lesha Flowers, Gwendolyn (and Quinton) Osborne, and Karen (and Robert) Lyons, brother, Lawrence (And Cassandra) Flowers Sr., her children, Victoria Sumner, Chelsey (and Joshua) Williams, Terrance Collins Jr., Annissia Collins, and Alesha (and Wendell) Hinton II, in-laws, Marcia Jackson, Thomas and Anne Collins Sr., Betty and Al Mitchell, nieces, Tiffany (And Rashad) Carr, Christin Williams, Ashley Osborne, Shelbie Osborne, nephews, Corey Offutt, Lawrence Flowers Jr., Julian Flowers, her grandchildren, Wendell Hinton III, and Audriana Hinton, great nieces and nephews, Aniya, Deron, and Jennifer Carr, Chloe and Alexander Offutt, Zariya Metcalfe, and a many cousins, friends, and family who loved her dearly. When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness. Psalm 31:26 NLT