Name: Mary Viola Collum

Visitation:
Thursday, July 4th
7:00pm - 9:00pm

Location:
O'Connell Funeral Home
30 Little Plains Road, Southampton

Funeral Service:
Basilica Parish of Sacred Hearts of Jesus & Mary
Friday, July 5th at 9:30 am

Interment:
Sacred Hearts Cemetery
Following service

Service Type:
Public

Biography: Born: December 11, 1927
Died: June 30, 2013
Age: 85

Mary Viola Collum of Southampton died on June 30, 2013. She was 85 years old. She was born in Saint James, New York on December 11, 1927, to the former Viola Wolf and Irving Simonson.

Upon graduation from East Hampton High School she worked at the Coin Exchange Bank in New York City. On April 19, 1947, she married William Edmond Collum at the Church of the most Holy Trinity in East Hampton. In 1949 they moved to Southampton and started Collum Signs. Mary worked alongside her husband keeping the books in the family sign business for fifty years and owned and operated the Belvedere Motel on Shinnecock Canal for some ten years.

She has been a member of Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary Church for 64 years. In addition Mary was a loving mother to her four children. There was never any doubt that her family came first in her life. Her love, guidance and support will be greatly missed. Mary loved sports, was an avid skier, swimmer, boater, and fisherman. Her prized eighteen pound blue fish was mounted and displayed with pride in her home.

She is survived by her four children; daughter Carol Suhr and husband James of Virginia Beach, VA; daughter Mary Shannon and husband John Timothy of Springfield, VA; Son William E Collum, JR. of Southampton; son David J. Collum and wife Elizabeth of Albany, NY. Fourteen grandchildren; James M Suhr, Douglas W Suhr, Lisa A Bromley, Steven C. Suhr, Kevin C. Shannon, Erin M Rogers, Kelly E Turner, Colleen L Shannon, Lindsay K. Reilly, William E Collum III, Colin J Collum, Luke Collum, Daniel W. Collum, Steven E. Collum. Seventeen great grandchildren; Gabrielle Suhr, Kaitlin Suhr, Ethan Suhr, Emma Suhr, Zachary Bromley, Logan Bromley, Sierra Shannon, Reagan Shannon, Elizabeth Shannon, Connor Rogers, Evan Rogers, Brenden Rogers, Keengan Reiley, Quinlan Reiley, Liam Collum, Thayer Collum and Harper Collum. She is also survived by her sisters Viola Garcia of Colorado, Rita Stascavage of Port Washington, New York, Dianna Brennan of Bridgehampton, New York, Catherine Winding of Batavia, New York and Barbara Wilson of Sag Harbor, New York. She is predeased by her husband William, her grandson Shawn C. Shannon, and her brother George Simonson.

The family will receive visitors at O'Connell Funeral Home on Little Plains Road in Southampton on Thursday evening from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church on Hill Street, in Southampton on Friday, July 5th at 9:30 am.