Tommie L. McCollum's Obituary
Tommie Louise Beniteau McCollum, 77, of Longview, passed away Tuesday, April 1, 2025. She was born June 29, 1947 in San Antonio Texas to Thomas A and Mary Beniteau. She graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School after which she matriculated to Baylor University in Waco where she earned Bachelor of Arts in Education in 1969. She married William Simonton McCollum Jr on May 31, 1969. She is survived by her daughter, Courtney Anne McCollum, Son, Warren Thomas McCollum and wife Kelli Marie McCollum; granddaughters Madeline Grace and Elizabeth Anne McCollum, nieces Susan Bell and Carol Kozeluh and husband Robert Kozeluh. Her husband, parents, sisters, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Bell and Cathren Shirkey preceded her in death.
After graduating from Baylor University, she taught grade school in the Dallas area until she followed her husband, with son in tow, to Estes Park, Colorado, where her daughter was born. The family later moved to Granby, Colorado where they lived until 1995. While living in Granby, Mrs. McCollum assisted her husband in his accounting practice while raising her two children. The family then moved to the Denver metro area and Mrs. McCollum took a job at Qwest as a data center specialist. She retired in 2010 and returned to Texas living in Longview until her death. She was a member of Fellowship Baptist Church and the Aaron Burleson Chapter of the Daughters of American Revolution. She enjoyed genealogy and family history.
Services will be held at noon on April 7, 2025 at Fellowship Baptist Church where Pastor Ellis Hayden will officiate. The family will receive friends and loved ones at 11:00 am on April 7, 2025. Rader Funeral home will be directing the memorial service.
The family encourages donations to Buckner Westminster Place Retirement Community where Mrs. McCollum spent her last days.
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