Margaret Ann Collins Turner

January 5, 1925 - December 23, 2023

Margaret Ann Collins Turner, age 98, of San Antonio, passed into the nearer presence of God on December 23, 2023. Born in Houston, she was the first of six children of the late Elmo Alphonse Collins, Sr. and the late Germaine Elise Babin. She was also preceded in death by Marion Orville (M.O.) Turner, her husband of 60 years; her brothers, Elmo Alphonse “Buddy” Collins, Jr., and Patrick B. Collins; and her sister Marietta Collins Davis. Margaret is survived by her daughter Kathleen (Lee) Willoughby, Gold River, Calif.; son Tim (Elizabeth) Turner, San Antonio; brother Thomas E. Collins, Houston; sister Carol G. James, San Antonio; brother-in-law Terry E. Davis, Las Vegas, Nev.; grandchildren Adam (Jaime) Willoughby, Fair Oaks, Calif., and April Willoughby (Vince) Edson, Auburn, Calif.; great grandchildren Jackson and Whitney Willoughby; and many, nieces, nephews, and cousins. She also is survived by Hông Ho (Hoàng Nguyen), Conroe, and Châm (Phuoc Dinh) Le, Fort Worth, sisters whom she and Mo sponsored in 1975, following the fall of Saigon; Châm and Phuoc’s children Phuong (Trinh) Le and Ngoc My; and grandchildren Sophie and Lincoln Le. Margaret’s father’s family relocated to Houston from Biloxi, Miss. in the early 1920s. Her mother’s family did the same from White Castle, La. Like her generation, she was significantly shaped by the Great Depression and by her family’s faith, resilience, hard work, and intense table talk. Margaret graduated from Incarnate Word Academy in downtown Houston in May 1941, at age 16. She took an additional year of business-related courses at IWA, after which she began secretarial work at Armour & Co. and later at the Mafrige Co. During and after the War, Margaret was wooed by cadets training at Ellington Field (we have pictures), but it was “Mo” Turner, a geology student and former submariner, who won her heart. They met on a blind date in 1946 and married in January 1947. Mo took a job with Standard Oil Co. of Indiana (Stanolind) in Houston, where Kathleen was born in 1948. The young family moved to Corpus Christi, then to San Antonio, where Tim was born in 1950. A transfer back to Houston in 1952 lasted two years. In 1954, Mo resigned and all returned to San Antonio, where he began a consulting practice that led to wildcatting and being an independent producer. Margaret was a stayat-home mom who, in time, became a church and community volunteer and leader. When the nest was empty, she began taking college-level classes, but in essence she was a self-educated woman, one who embraced justice and mercy for all. For years, she volunteered with the Cerebral Palsy Association of Bexar County and taught CCD at St. Pius X parish. As one of the founders of San Antonio Birthright, Margaret delivered resources and loving words to women with unwanted pregnancies. She spoke to many groups about this service. Her last service was as a volunteer cashier at a Christus gift shop. Margaret was a longtime member of the Gibbons Literary Club. In 1973, she was awarded the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice medal by Pope Paul VI for her distinguished service. Margaret loved reading, dancing, entertaining, gardening, and traveling with Mo. Friendships shared over a bridge table were the dearest. She loved hearing her grandchildren call her “Mamo.”

The family extends special thanks to Dr. Neela Patel, Heart of Texas Hospice, and the Adante Senior Living communities. A Rosary will be prayed at 9:30 a.m., Friday, January 5, 2024, St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, 10703 Wurzbach Rd, followed by Mass at 10:00, the Rev. Eric J. Ritter presiding. Her burial will be at Sunset Memorial Park at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the charity of one’s choice.