Mary Grace Collier

Mary Grace Collier (nee Askew), (58), of St. Ann, Missouri passed away on January 29th, 2023 at Mercy Hospital St. Louis. Mary was born on June 30th, 1964 to Charles Gregory Askew and Mary Grace Askew (Heiney), in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Mary graduated from Glendale High School in Springfield, Missouri in 1982 and went on to study at Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State). After graduating with a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a minor in Chemistry, she started her first job at the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services - Section for Long Term Care. In 1989, Mary met Mark Alan Collier at Minner Nursery, and married on June 22nd, 1991 in St. Louis. Mark and Mary went on to have 2 children, Tyler and Kyle. Mary worked for the Department of Health and Senior Services for her entire career, before retiring as the Regional Manager in August 2017. After retirement, Mary continued working part time as a surveyor. Mary was preceded in death by her parents, Mary and Charles. She is survived by her Husband, Mark Alan Collier, sons Tyler Charles Collier (Jessica) and Kyle Nathanial Collier (Cheyenne), Sisters Julie Ann Minner, and Janet Lee Tunks (Roger), and Brother Gregory Patrick Askew (Kimberly). Mary had an extremely kind and caring heart, which can be seen in her professional life as well as her personal. She spent over twenty years of her career working hard to ensure that anyone in long term care facilities got the best treatment possible. In her free time, Mary volunteered at St. Ann Pet Adoptions. As an avid lover of all animals, particularly dogs, she wanted to help them in every way possible. When she wasn’t loving on pups, she was loving to everyone close to her. Anyone who met Mary was a friend to her and she would do anything for them. She was a devoted mother. Her children were her everything. She looked forward to her boys’ baseball games, organizing classroom parties, and taking them on vacations. Mary was also a phenomenal chef; from pastas to fudge, her sons never skipped a meal. (or dessert) Her hobbies included collecting fragrances of lotions and body sprays, yoga with her best friends, petting dogs, going on girls' trips, and helping others. And even though Mary was loving, she was extremely strong and tough, beating stage 3 breast cancer with a smile on her face. In lieu of flowers, a Gofundme has been created to cover the memorial costs. A Celebration of Life will take place at the George Gould Building at Wapelhorst Park in St. Charles, Missouri on February 25th, 2023, from 12pm-6pm. All friends and family are encouraged to join.