Obituaries
Mary Viola Collum of Southampton Dies at 85
Visitation planned Thursday and funeral Friday.
Editor's Note: The following information was prepared by the family, provided by O'Connell Funeral Home and edited by Patch.
Mary Viola Collum, of Southampton, who was the co-proprietor of a family sign business in Southampton and a motel on the Shinnecock Canal, died on Sunday.
Born Dec. 11, 1927, she was 85 years old. Collum was born in Saint James, New York on Dec. 11, 1927, to the Viola (née 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 50 years and owned and operated the Belvedere Motel on Shinnecock Canal for some 10 years.
She was a member of Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Roman Catholic Church in Southampton for 64 years. "In addition Mary was a loving mother to her four children," her family said. "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 18-pound bluefish was mounted and displayed with pride in her home."
Collum 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; and son David J. Collum and wife Elizabeth of Albany. She is also survived by 14 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 and Steven E. Collum, and 17 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. Collum is further survived by her sisters, Viola Garcia of Colorado, Rita Stascavage of Port Washington, Dianna Brennan of Bridgehampton, Catherine Winding of Batavia, and Barbara Wilson of Sag Harbor.
She is predeceased 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 Thursday evening from 7 to 9 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Basilica of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary Church in Southampton on Friday at 9:30 a.m.
