Lona J. Collins

Services for Lona J. “Gram” (Mergler) Collins, 112, of Wickliffe, will be at 11 AM on Tuesday, June 25, 2019 at Davis-Babcock Funeral Home, 4154 Clark Avenue, Willoughby. The Rev. Charles S. Pahlman, Chaplain of Crossroads Hospice will officiate at the service.

The family will receive friends from 4-8 PM today at the funeral home.

Mrs. Collins passed away Saturday, June 22, 2019 at Brookdale at Wickliffe.

Born June 18, 1907 in Medford, OK, she has lived in Ohio for more than 100 years. She was officially the oldest person in Ohio.

She was a member of East Shore Church United Methodist in Euclid.

Survivors are her daughter, Lois J. Klemenc; grandchildren, Janet Klemenc, Frank N. (Laurie) Klemenc, Linda (Brian) Mackey, Debra (Noel) Beard and Christine (Gary) Mikitin; 11 great-grandchildren and 12 great-great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Christopher J. Collins on June 5, 1991 and her son, William G. Collins, Sr. in 2011. Her parents, Henry and Lottie (Ledford) Mergler, sister, Charlotte Selander; brother, John Mergler; son-in-law, Frank V. Klemenc and great-granddaughter, Erin Mackey are also deceased.

Final resting place will be in Lake View Cemetery in Cleveland, following the service on Tuesday.

In lieu of flowers, the family encourages contributions to Crossroads Hospice, 8224 Mentor Avenue, Suite 110, Mentor, OH 44060.