COLLIER, Leila (Lee)

The Daily Courier, Prescott, Arizona, Wednesday, December 30, 2015 Leila Richards Ashton Collier, 95 years-old, a resident of Las Fuentes in Prescott graduated to Heaven on Dec. 28, 2015. Leila was born in 1920 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Raymond J. Ashton and Winnie R. Ashton. Leila (Lee) attended the University of Colorado at Boulder, majored in Home Economics and was a member of Chi Omega Sorority. She met her husband, J.P. Collier, while in college and they were married in 1939. In their 62 years of marriage, J.P.'s employment took them to Los Angeles, Salt Lake City and then back to Los Angeles. In 1964, they moved to Prescott where J.P. worked for Pauley & McDonald Realtors. Lee and J.P. subsequently enjoyed 15 years of retirement. While living in Utah, Lee and J.P. were active in the Junior Chamber of Commerce. They maintained the friendships that they made there for the rest of their lives. As retirees from active membership of the "Jaycees," they referred to themselves as the "Exhausted Roosters" and the "Pooped Hens," and they looked forward to the annual "Rooster Reunions!" While living in Prescott, the Colliers were active members of the First Baptist Church. Throughout her life, Lee enjoyed music and had a voracious love of learning. She took college courses to help fulfill her quest for knowledge. Her activities included Bible Study classes (reading through the Bible 37 times over her lifetime.) She was an avid bridge player, and enjoyed most games with family and friends, also sewing, cooking, quilting, china painting and other crafts. Throughout their lives, both J.P. and Leila lived and promoted a profound concept of family that still is very much alive in each family member today! Leila is survived by her daughter Karen Pulliam (Jim) of Sequim, Washington; daughter Dianna Zimmerman (Joseph) of Redmond, Washington; daughter Janet Potts (Charles) of Prescott; and son Jay Paul Collier (Ginny) of Prescott; a sister Janet Gransden of Layton, Utah; 11 grandchildren; and 14 great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, J.P. Collier (2003); a brother, Joe Ashton; a sister, Yvonne Willey; and her 17-year-old grandson, Joshua Potts O'Neill (2015 from the ravages of muscular dystrophy). A memorial service celebrating Leila Collier's life will be at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 2, 2016, at Las Fuentes Resort. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be directed to Granite Mountain Home Care and Hospice, 3107 Clearwater Drive, Prescott, AZ 86305, or MDA-Muscular Dystrophy Association, Duchenne Research, 3300 E. Sunrise Drive, Tucson, AZ 86718. Services entrusted to Hampton Funeral Home. Information provided by survivors.