Beloved Mother and Grandmother, Preserver of History
We take this moment to honor the legacy of Bonnie Hall Collins, age 87, who passed away on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. A proud daughter of Fleming-Neon, Kentucky, Bonnie devoted her life to family, heritage, and preserving the stories that shape who we are.
For descendants of the Hatfields and McCoys, Bonnie’s name is familiar not just for her family ties, but for her tireless efforts to safeguard the truth of our shared past. Long before genealogy websites made ancestry easier, Bonnie was walking cemeteries, documenting headstones, and tracing the branches of Appalachian family trees. Her dedication helped illuminate the complex history of the Hatfield-McCoy feud—not as a tale of violence, but as a story of perseverance, reconciliation, and enduring legacy.
Former First Lady of Kentucky and Pike County Tourism Chairlady Judi Conway Patton shared:
“Bonnie enthused all of us to love and research our family history and bloodline, no matter where it takes you. You belong to the thread that wraps your family quilt, and Ms. Bonnie loved seeing the history come to life in every piece of knowledge that she uncovered and set forth so others in her family would know. She was a monarch of her family and her friends, and she took great pride in loving each and every one.”
Raina Allen reflects on her mother’s life as a genealogist:
“Mother loved genealogy research and all things that thread into it, and she would spend hours on any given day available researching her bloodline on the internet and in the cemeteries, so that she may pass it down to her grandson Benjamin and her granddaughter Sadie so that they would know their own family lineage and be able to pass it down to their children and grandchildren,” Raina said. “Mother was always thinking way ahead and wanting her family and friends to know they belong and were loved. To her, there was no better life. That was my mother, Bonnie Hall Collins. She loved everyone.”
Bob Scott shared a heartfelt memory:
“The first time Rita and I ever met Bonnie, I knew we had a friend, for she wore her love for people from her heart to her blouse sleeve. Bonnie would hug you hello and always a ‘see you later’ hug until next time. She was an angel here on earth and will be missed. As a descendant, I can tell you, at any time possible she could come home to Eastern Kentucky and be involved with the Hatfield and McCoy historic sites and festivities, she did. She left us all better humans!”
Tony K. Tackett, Pikeville-Pike County Tourism CVB Executive Director, shared a memory of Bonnie’s last visit home:
“I recall the last time Bonnie came home to Pike County, and she wanted to go sit on the Dil’s Cemetery—as she put it, ‘maybe for one last time’—and having knee trouble, we knew she would need assistance, so we called Kenny at the Pikeville Fire Dept. He and his team brought up their side-by-side and brought Ms. Bonnie and her sisters and family up to the cemetery for the afternoon of fellowship and prayer. Bonnie looked over at me on the top of the cemetery with tears in her eyes and said, ‘These wonderful gentlemen made sure me and my sisters got up on this cemetery, and this is one blessed day, isn’t it!’ Yes, it is, Ms. Bonnie, yes, it is.”
Bonnie was a proud member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the Kentucky Society of Sons of the Revolution. She was a woman of remarkable drive, operating several businesses throughout her life and eventually retiring from 3M. Yet her most treasured role was that of “Mamaw” to her grandchildren, Benjamin and Sadie, who brought her endless joy.
Her work ensured that future generations of Hatfields, McCoys, and the many families connected to them would better understand their roots and be proud of where they came from. Bonnie’s life was a bridge between generations—a quiet but powerful force for memory, truth, and unity.
A celebration of Bonnie’s life was held on Saturday, May 10, 2025, at Ware Funeral Home in Cynthiana, KY. In lieu of flowers, the family invites donations to the Daughters of the American Revolution, supporting the causes Bonnie held dear.
Though we mourn her passing, we celebrate a life dedicated to remembering the past and enriching the future for generations to come.
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