Middlebury- Elizabeth R. Collins, RN Elizabeth R. Collins, RN 92 passed away suddenly, Wednesday, September 16, 2009 at Porter Medical Center surrounded by her loving family. She was born May 25, 1917 in Waterbury, CT, the daughter of the late Domenic and Agnes (Campbell) Rinaldi. Elizabeth was chosen from her 8th grade class as a state delegate to attend a nationwide conference of young people in Washington, DC. Elizabeth graduated from Crosby High School in Waterbury, CT and graduated from the Waterbury Hospital School of Nursing, Waterbury, CT. When Elizabeth was a nursing student and Ray was an intern at Waterbury Hospital, their eyes met as she was descending the stairs and Ray was walking down the hallway. It was love at first sight. They were married on June 29, 1940 in Middlebury, CT. They celebrated their 69th wedding anniversary this June. She loved caring and cooking for her family and writing to them bi- weekly. Her hobbies were tending to her flower and vegetable gardens, knitting, reading and listening to VPR and Opera music. Her favorite pastime was listening to and watching the birds. Elizabeth was a member of the Porter Hospital Auxiliary and the Middlebury Congregational Church where she was a Sunday school teacher for many years. Elizabeth leaves behind her beloved husband Ray W. Collins, MD; their daughters Elizabeth Betsy Mack and husband Lewis Noble, of Granby, CT; Louise Boutwell and husband Reg of Randolph, NY; Nancy Collins, MD, and husband Brian Mahoney, MD of North Oaks, MN; her sister Isabel Simonds, RN of Washington, CT; her grandchildren Betsy Anne Vinton, PhD and husband Griff of Rochester, NY; Katie Mahoney, MD of Charlotte, NC; Meredith Mahoney of Brooklyn, NY; Dan Mahoney of Milwaukee, WI; her great- grandchildren Elizabeth, Audrey, and Natalie Vinton of Rochester, NY, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents and her brother Sidney Rinaldi. There will be no services at this time. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the Porter Hospital Auxiliary c/o Porter Hospital Development Office 115 Porter Dr. Middlebury, or to the Vermont Association of the Blind at VABVI Development office at 60 Kimball Ave, South Burlington, VT or to the Addison County Home Health at P.O. Box 754, Middlebury, VT 05753 Online condolences may be offered at www.sandersonfuneralservice.com