Frances "Martie" Martisha Collins

Frances Martisha “Martie” Collins, 81, of Concord, passed away Monday, January 26, 2026 at Atrium Health Cabarrus Hospital in Concord.

Martie was born May 17, 1944, in North Carolina to the late Marion Mark Strother Sr. and the late Mary Brown Strother. She was also preceded in death by brothers, Billy Harris Strother and Marion M. Strother Jr.

The family will receive friends from 11:00 am - 12:45 pm, Tuesday, February 3, 2026 at Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord. The funeral service will follow in the chapel at 1pm officiated by pastors Wesley Shell and Mike Thevenin. Burial will follow at Carolina Memorial Park located at 601 Mt Olivet Rd, Kannapolis, NC 28083.

Martie Collins aka “Memaw” was welcomed home by her Savior, Jesus Christ. Though our hearts ache in her absence, we rejoice in knowing she is no longer suffering and is now whole, healed, and resting in the presence of the Lord she loved so deeply.

Memaw was a joy-filled woman of God and the strongest prayer warrior our family has ever known. If you needed prayer for anything-big or small-you knew without a doubt that Memaw had you covered. Her faith was unwavering, her prayers powerful, and her trust in God unshakable. She was an ever-present and devoted member of her church’s ministry team, always willing to listen, offer wisdom, give advice, or lend a helping hand to anyone in need.

She was quick-witted, wonderfully funny, and just the right amount of sassy when the moment called for it. Memaw had a sharp mind and an impressive memory-remembering every birthday, milestone, and special moment. She was also incredibly tech-savvy, often amazing us all by mastering new technology after being shown just once. She loved staying involved in her grandchildren’s lives and took true delight in knowing everything that mattered to them.

Family was the center of Memaw’s world, especially her grandchildren, whom she loved fiercely. She was the proud Memaw to eight grandchildren, and nothing brought her more joy than having them around. She was always up for a movie night, never said no to pool days (the pool she and Papaw had that we practically lived in every summer), and she was a formidable card player. She taught us the joy of coffee-always keeping a pot brewing-and is singlehandedly responsible for turning us all into coffee lovers.

Memaw was also a legendary shark’s tooth hunter. No matter how impressive a find someone else brought home, she almost always managed to top it with one of her own.

Martie was a graduate of Cabarrus Memorial Hospital School of Nursing and later, she earned her B.S.N. from Wingate University. She dedicated her professional life to nursing and retired from Northeast Medical Center, formerly Cabarrus Memorial Hospital, after a career that spanned 42 years. Her knowledge, compassion, and dedication inspired two of her six granddaughters to pursue careers in the medical field, something she was incredibly proud of-just as she was proud of all her grandchildren and every accomplishment, big or small.

Above all else, Martie loved her husband. He was her rock, her protector, her best friend, and the love of her life. Their bond was unbreakable, evidenced by their 62-year marriage. and together, they were truly a remarkable pair. Their beloved dog, Beau, will miss her constant love, belly rubs, and spoiling.

While her passing followed a long and painful journey, we find comfort in knowing her story does not end here. Memaw leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of faith, love, service, humor, and devotion to family. We will miss her beyond words, but we will honor her by carrying forward the example she so beautifully lived.

Survivors include her loving husband of 62 years, James "Buddy" Collins; sons, Greg (Cindy) Collins of Concord, and Chris Collins, also of Concord; brother, Tom (Pam) Strother of China Grove; grandchildren, Aryn Collins, Mauri Collins, Kailyn "KK" Collins Wallace (Carrigan), Breslin Collins Asmar (Daniel), Joshua Collins, Jordan Holt, Christopher Collins, Hannah Collins; as well as nieces and nephews.

Donations may be made to Atrium Health Nurses Honor Guard.

Hartsell Funeral Home of Concord is serving the Collins family.