Anne L. Collins

Anne L. Collins entered into eternity in the early morning hours of Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the age of 76 years and 11 months. She died at home, peacefully, in her bed while being lovingly cared for by her spouse, Michael J. Haufler, of 33 years. Anne was fortunate to have been under the care of Hospice of Southern Illinois for close to a month for end stage diabetic complications.

Anne was born on November 11, 1949, as the second of four children born to her parents, William Oliver Collins and Lois Anne Collins, in Ames, Iowa. Her father was attending Iowa State University on the G.I. Bill following WWII when Anne was born. By age three, her family moved to New York State, where her father worked as an explosive engineer. Much of her childhood was spent in Cacao Beach, Florida, where she lived while her father worked on NASA’s space program. She enjoyed competitive boat racing and later became a lifeguard in her teen years. As a teen, her family moved to Las Vegas, Nevada, where she attended Bishop Gorman High School. She graduated early at the age of 16. Anne got married at age 17, and bore four children, John Cheatham of Las Vegas, NV, Christi (John) Dea of Highland, IL, Rebecca (Bob) Geschwender of Salem, OR, and William O. (Brie) Cheatham of Reno, NV.

Anne was a nurse for more than 30 years, having earned her BSN at Fresno State University in California around 1974. She worked as a nurse in public health, labor and delivery, juvenile hall, outpatient and inpatient psychiatric settings, and home health as a nurse educator, though the vast majority of her career was in labor and delivery. Anne took some time off from nursing in the 1980’s to work as a real estate agent, earning a “Rookie of the Year” award at Coldwell Bankers Realty in Santa Maria, CA, but later went back to nursing, even working at Brooks Army Medical Center in San Antonio, TX. She married her second husband, Michael Haufler, on October 15, 1992.

Anne loved learning new things and developed many hobbies over the years. She was an accomplished seamstress and even made her own patterns for children’s clothes and formal gowns. She once fixed her own stove. Anne was extremely mechanically inclined and was a whiz at math. When computers came on the scene, she loved learning how to program them. She learned “Basic” language to program her Comadore 64, and later was frequently busy “defragging her hard drive”, burning CD’s of her favorite music, and finding new ways to utilize the home computer as much as possible. Anne also loved to garden, crochet, craft needlepoint works of art, play her grand piano, look at new home constructions, and plant gardens. She became a master gardener and she was an accomplished cake decorator and could cook several types of cuisine after taking extended education courses as her local community college. She was truly a lifelong learner.

Anne moved from Napa, CA, to Highland, IL, in 2017 to be close to her daughter, Christi, and three of her four grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, William Oliver Collins and Lois Anne Collins; brother-in-law, James Cashman, II; and sister-in-law, Janell Collins.

Anne is survived by her husband, Michael Haufler; older brother, Michael T. Collins of Tigard, OR; younger sisters, MaryKaye Cashman of Las Vegas, NV, and Ellen (Michael) Johnson of Wilsonville, OR; children, John Cheatham of Las Vegas, NV, Christi (John) Dea of Highland, IL, Rebecca (Bob) Geschwender of Salem, OR, and William (Brie) Cheatham of Reno, NV; grandchildren, Cole Geschwender of Ann Arbor, MI, Charles Dea of Irving, TX, Grace Dea of Rapid City, SD, and Rebecca Dea of Highland, IL.

Memorial donations can be made to the St. Paul Educational Foundation.

Visitation/Wake: Monday, October 12, 2026, from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, at the family home, 50 Jardin Circle, Highland, IL 62249

Mass of Christian Burial: Tuesday, October 13, 2026, 10:00 am, at St. Paul Catholic Church, Highland, IL

Clergy: Fr. Callistus Osiaga

Interment: Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Pierron, IL

All are invited to attend a funeral luncheon at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Highland, IL, following services.

Meridith Funeral Home, Highland, IL