Obituary: Jean R. Collins, 91, Has Passed Away

Curiosity tempered by kindness was how Jean Rozalia Matulis Fitzgerald Collins approached life and quickly turned strangers into lifelong friends. During the last 20 years, she was still communicating with the primary school nuns who taught her, the woman with whom she shared a maternity ward room in 1959, her first boss at Bell of Canada, as well as Union League wait-staff. From Montreal to Philadelphia and eventually Central Bucks County, Jean’s impact on family, friends and neighbors was deep and heartfelt.

Jean passed away on March 9, 2021 in hospice care surrounded physically and virtually by her loving family, husband of 17 years, Francis A. Collins, and children Jean O. Fitzgerald M.D. (William Weiner); Lois F. Downey (Michael); William A. Fitzgerald (Ann); and Sean S. Fitzgerald (Claire) and grandchildren William C. Fitzgerald (Terri and great-grandson William); Ryan M. Fitzgerald (Kaitlin); Genevieve L. Downey; Victoria J. Downey; Evan R. Fitzgerald (Samantha and great-grandchildren Adelaide and Theodore); Juliana F. Downey; Casey C. Fitzgerald (Alison); Caroline S. Fitzgerald; and Elise B. Fitzgerald, Cousin Joe Matulis (Jaqueline); Cousin Rose Tahara (Carlos); Cousin Helena Azoulus, in addition to four step-children Eric Collins (Ingrid); Allan Collins (Vicky); Nicola Collins and Doug Collins (Theresa) and their many children and grandchildren in England and Canada and dozens of loving nieces and nephews.

Jean was born to Lithuanian immigrants in Montreal, Canada on April 5, 1930. Her parents, Antanas and Ona Matulis raised Jean and her brother Stanley in Ville LaSalle along the Saint Lawrence River. Jean married William Robert Fitzgerald (dec’d Sept 1989) of Philadelphia, PA on July 27, 1957 and settled in Philadelphia working for Bell Telephone. While pregnant with their fourth child, they moved to Warrington, PA and she engaged in a life spent attending Mass at and volunteering for St. Robert Bellarmine Roman Catholic Church, volunteering for the Warrington Athletic Association, hosting students for Lions Club International, sitting as Judge of Elections in Palomino Farms, working for local newspapers as office support staff, and being first in line to help neighbors. Jean became an American citizen in 1976 on the lawn of Independence Hall.

Jean made each of her children, their spouses, her grandchildren, her nieces and nephews and her dozens of cousins all over the world feel loved and important in her life. For decades, Jean’s home was the place where memories were made with Brazilian, Lithuanian, Canadian and American cousins. Many of them will remember her as the Aunt or Cousin who wanted as much information about their families as possible to help her complete a voluminous family history project that she was working on for 50 years until her diagnosis with lung cancer which ultimately metastasized to her brain.

Jean would be the first to tell you that she was incredibly lucky to have been able to have found true love with two wonderful men. Francis (Frank) and Jean met in October 2001 at the Montreal wedding of her goddaughter Theresa Matulis and his son Doug. After a nearly two year courtship that spanned the Atlantic Ocean, Frank flew to America from England to propose to Jean. Her marriage to Frank in August 2003 was performed by the late Honorable Charles W. Weiner at the US Court House in Philadelphia. Their love affair found them traveling a great deal in the U.K., North America and Central America and visiting many of their friends and relatives. Jean loved Frank’s inquisitive nature which matched her own and they spent many afternoons visiting area museums, landmarks, and places of interest like the self-guided tour of the Philadelphia Mural Project. She will be greatly missed by those who loved her and those who knew her, those who she lived near, and those who she helped.

Due to the pandemic, there will only be a private Memorial Service with immediate family later this year. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you remember Jean with a donation to the Doylestown Health Foundation (Website: doylestownhealthfoundation.org) by calling 215.345.2009 or giving directly at gifts@dh.org.

You can submit an obituary to Patch by emailing doylestown@patch.com.