Kathleen Margie Binkley is the daughter of Raymond and Dorothy Collins. She was born November 17, 1946 and she went home to be with the Lord on January 8, 2024.
Kathy was preceded in death by her parents, a brother Michael Collins and sister Karen DeYeager. She is survived by two brothers Patrick (Carolyn) and Dennis Collins, three children, Kristen(Richard) Woodward, Michele(James) Brennan and Neal(Michelle) Binkley and five grandchildren, Dakota(Katelyn) Brennan, Meagan Woodward, Caitlyn(Ian) Vokoun, Collins Binkley, and Jaxson Binkley as well as honorary children and grandchildren and beloved nieces and nephews.
Kathy was born and raised in Council Bluffs, Iowa. She attended and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1965. Soon after, she met Bill and got married. Although they lived a few years in Illinois while Bill was working for IBM, home was always Council Bluffs, where together they raised their three children. While during their 56 years of marriage, Kathy worked outside of the home some including at Northwestern Bell for many years, and as an audiometrist after Dakota was diagnosed with hearing loss, for most of her children’s lives she worked the two jobs that she was proudest of, being Mom and Grandma. She spent time as a girl scout leader, VBS leader, and youth group leader both alone and with Bill and their home was the hub for the friends of their kids growing up. They even became known as the Binkley Bunch for having such a mix of kids at the house or taking them on family vacations. She had times of being babysitter for all of her grandkids and was primary childcare for the three oldest for different periods in their life including when she was recovering from her first battle with cancer.
The center of the Binkley home was the church. The Binkley’s were long time members of Woodland Community Bible Church, where she accepted Christ as a teenager, and she and all the children were baptized. In addition to regular attendance, the Binkley’s became integral to the services through music, Christmas Programs, Vacation Bible school and Sunday School. They would often adopt college students from Grace College of the Bible that served their church and do ministries with the nursing home including, on many occasions taking cookies to nursing homes, singing for the residents, and even having a resident home for the holidays.
In 2010, Neal moved to central Florida. Within a year, Kathy, Bill and both daughters had relocated to Florida, as well.
In 2014, Bill and Kathy moved from Land O Lakes to Orlando and began attending and then united their church membership with Fort Christmas Baptist Church in Christmas, Florida. They immediately became integral to this fellowship, as well. Bill led music and sang in the choir and was appointed as a deacon. Together they headed and ran the “Widows and Orphans” ministry. They worked tirelessly in this effort to supply food and clothes to the community while visiting shut-ins and helping with doctors, medicines, groceries and whatever was needed.
Kathy was an inspiration to all that knew her! While she never sought to be recognized for her efforts, her example of quiet, confident, servant leadership was apparent. She touched so many lives along her life’s journey and we are so blessed to have had her with us.
In April 2021, while in New Orleans visiting her son, daughter in law, and two of her grandsons, Kathy suffered a severe fall and through that process, discovered that the breast cancer that she survived back in 1992 had returned and had spread to her bones and other parts of her body. Kathy was ready to be with her Heavenly Father but pursued treatment to provide time for her family to be ready. After fighting the cancer for 2 ½ years, Kathy made the decision to stop treatment and go on hospice. Even during these last 2 ½ years, Kathy witnessed to everyone that she could whether that was in the hospital, at the doctor, or with hospice. While the pain became severe, Kathy took solace in knowing that she would soon be in heaven. Even though Kathy will be sorely missed, everyone is thankful that her suffering has ended and she is resting now with her Savior!
RIP to our sister, wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, friend, counselor, mentor, servant.
