OBITUARY
Sheryl Lynn Barnard Collins
Sheryl Lynn Barnard Collins, of Conway Arkansas was born on February 7, 1959 to pastor J.E. Barnard and the late Marie Barnard. She kept her faith in God and endured until the end. She won her long battle and even after struggling for many years she never allowed her health challenges to get her down. She passed away very peacefully at home surrounded by her family on February 2, 2017.
Sheryl was a person that loved life to the fullest but always kept eternity in view. She was a devout and totally committed Christian and made her preparations to meet God starting at a very early age. She was just a little girl when she repented of her sins and God filled her with the Holy Ghost while sitting on the piano bench in church. God gave her such a wonderful experience by filling her with His Spirit that it stuck with her and she never looked back. She followed on to know the Lord and many years later as a young married woman felt her need to get baptized in water in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of her sins. Over the years her relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ deepened and grew richer to her. She believed strongly in the oneness of God, water baptism in Jesus name, and being filled with God’s Spirit but refused to argue. She believed in trusting in and having faith in God and living so God could use her. She believed strongly that after she passed away that she would lay asleep resting in peace in the grave awaiting the day when she hears the Lord Jesus call her name at which time she and all those that live godly shall come forth from their graves to meet the Lord in the air. She chose to love everybody and always looked for the good in people. She was concerned about the needs of all those she met and did her best to help in any way she could. The Lord used her in many ways through her life. She was a friend to any that needed a friend and a really good listener. People called her from all over and she would listen to their needs and problems. She always had a word of encouragement and was a blessing to all that came in contact with her. In later years, she could not get out and go by herself like she would have liked so she turned to Facebook and continued to reach out to people with the love of God. She had nearly a thousand friends on Facebook and she personally knew every one of them.
She was a tremendous piano player and was playing for the church by the time she was nine years old. She taught a number of other people to play as well. As a young woman, she travelled across the state and nation with the Starkey Family, a southern gospel singing group, playing the piano for them. She was a graduate of the Vilonia High School class of 1977. After graduating from Ozark Bible College in Neosho, Missouri she taught the young people’s Sunday School class and was the youth leader at the Full Gospel Pentecostal Church in Vilonia where she was raised.
She was a tremendous cook and authored two cookbooks, numerous religious articles and singing tapes through the years. After college, she became a Tupperware dealer and worked up to being a manager. She worked high enough up to qualify for a company car. When one of her fellow managers was in a tremendous car crash, the company turned her group over to Sheryl and she became one of only a very few people to ever manage two Tupperware teams at the same time.
In 1985 she met the love of her life and she gladly forfeited her promising career to be his helpmate and partner for the rest of her life. On March 14, 1986, she married the young evangelist, “Bowie” Dale Collins from Conway where they have lived ever since. In the early years of their marriage and ministry they travelled a several state area. He did the preaching and they sang together and she played the piano. By the time her life on earth ended she and her husband had travelled to 39 states, Old Mexico and Canada. Over the years, the Lord used them together to start a Christian school in which she taught a number of students to read and write including her own children. Together, they founded a youth camp and camp ground. She was a tremendous organizer and was always in charge of preparing the meals to feed all the people that attended their camps and meetings through the years. During the years that they held their meetings people came from nearly twenty states and “momma Sheryl”, as she became affectionally known as, was an outstanding host to them all. She loved young people and invested her life in young people’s lives striving to help them have a better future.
In 1994, her husband started Mount Zion Deeper Life Fellowship and she was right there by his side being a founding and faithful member until her death. She was regarded by many as an extraordinary human being that lived and practiced what she believed in her everyday life. She loved “old time religion” and was a remarkable example of modesty in the way she dressed and conducted her life. Because of the vast number of books, Bibles, tapes, cds, and literature that they distributed all over the world only time and eternity will reveal the full extent of the number of lives that have been touched by God in part because she allowed God to use her.
Early on, together they founded Dale Collins and Son Roofing and God blessed it to what it has become today. Although she was confined to a wheel chair due to arthritis for over twenty years she continued to be the office manager running the office for both the business and ministry up until last year. She played a very vital role in helping homeowners get their roofs repaired or to get a whole new roof. She leaves behind a joint legacy of over eight thousand satisfied customers. She had a determination stronger than a rock and refused to lay down and quit. She continued to fight, wearing a smile until the very end.
She loved her family dearly and spent much time praying for them. She homeschooled her three children and put all she had into them and today the fruit of her labor shows. Her favorite Bible verse was 3 John 1:4, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” This was her heart’s desire until the end. One of the happiest times in her life was when she became “Mamaw.” Her eight grandchildren became the highlight of her life toward the end and she focused on them. She held on to see and hold the last grandbaby that was born just four days before she died.
She is survived by her husband of 30 years, Dale Collins; their son, Matthew “Matt” Collins, his wife Kayla, and their children Matthew Storm, Nehemiah Mathias, Abigail Addison and Naomi Jubilee; their daughter Sarah Collins Gardner and her son Jesse Josiah; their daughter Rebekah Collins Goulet, her husband William, and their children Isaac Allen, Luke Nathaniel and Elisabeth Rose. Her grandchildren added much joy to her life.
She is also survived by her father, Pastor J.E. Barnard of Vilonia; sisters Sandra and husband John Harris, Patsy and husband JB Love,
Shari and husband Levi Kinman, and Mistie and husband Melvin Pickle and many nieces and nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins that she loved dearly.
Visitation for Sheryl Collins will be Monday night, February 6th, 2017 in the chapel at Roller McNutt Funeral Home located at 801 8th Avenue in Conway Arkansas.
A special celebration of Sheryl’s life will be held on her birthday, Tuesday, February 7th, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. at the Northside Apostolic Church located at 132 Hwy 89 North in Mayflower Arkansas.
She will be laid to rest in the Oak Grove Cemetery in Conway Arkansas following the celebration service. Pastor David Harrison, Pastor Keith Morris and Bishop Dale Collins will be officiating.
Family, friends and out of town guest will meet to visit and eat following the burial at Mount Zion Deeper Life Fellowship at 3095 Dave Ward Drive in Conway Arkansas. Those wishing to bring food may drop it off at the Mt Zion church from 11:00 a.m. till 12:30 p.m. or after the service.
In lieu of flowers, those interested may make a donation in Sheryl’s memory to the Mount Zion Media ministry to help fund getting Sheryl’s music out to the world and her other favorite projects.
Mount Zion Media Ministry P.O. Box 7, Conway, AR 72033.
NOTE: Bishop Dale Collins reads the obituary that he wrote for his wife, Sister Sheryl Lynn Barnard Collins that was published in the Log Cabin Democrat newspaper. Sheryl Collins passed away very peaceful at home on February 2, 2017. Roller McNutt Funeral home staff said that it was the longest obituary that they remembered and it has touched several lives in itself. A number of people stated that they came to the visitation because they was inspired by the obituary. We pray that it will be a blessing to each of you as well.
SHERYL LYNN BARNARD COLLINS
OBITUARY & TRIBUTE VIDEO
by her husband, Dale Collins.