Betty Jean Collins Obituary: Charleston, South Carolina (1940-2026)

Charleston Remembers Betty Jean Collins at 86

Betty Jean Collins, a longtime Charleston resident known to her sprawling family as “Granny,” “Bing Bing,” and even “Bad Betty,” passed away on October 21, 2026, at the age of 86, according to the Charleston Post & Courier. Born in Aynor, South Carolina, on February 1, 1940, she carried her deep-rooted Southern charm through decades of family life and local work in the food and beverage industry, including her time at Alex’s Restaurant.

For decades, her kitchen served as the anchor for a rapidly growing family. On December 26, 1956, she married Loranzo D. Collins, beginning a partnership that eventually spanned children, fourteen grandchildren, eleven great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren. Beyond her work in local dining, family dinners and holidays defined her daily life. According to legacy.com, she was particularly famous for chicken n’ dumplins that her family described as blue ribbon worthy.

Life Rooted in Charleston and Faith

Away from the kitchen, Collins filled her days with gardening, crafting, watching game shows, listening to 1950s music, and taking trips to the mountains of North Carolina. She was a member of St. Andrew’s Pentecostal Holiness Church—also referenced in local notices as St. Andrews Family Worship Center—where her faith provided steady support throughout her life.

Betty Jean Collins Obituary: Charleston, South Carolina (1940-2026) — Photo: echovita.com

She was preceded in death by her husband, Loranzo Dow Collins; her son, Edward Robert Collins; her daughter, Connie Louise Dermont; and her grandson, Stephen Daniel Dermont. She is survived by her children Raymond Loranzo Collins, John Derrick Collins, Sandra Jean Cooper, Mellisa Lynn Collins, and Holly Collins, alongside her extensive multi-generational family.

Memorial Service and Friendsgiving Luncheon Details

Family and friends will gather to honor her memory on Sunday, November 22, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. The memorial service will take place at St. Andrews Family Worship Center, located at 9 Tovey Road in Charleston, South Carolina (29407), as reported by the Charleston Post & Courier. Echovita.com notes that a Friendsgiving Luncheon—celebrating one of her favorite holidays—will follow the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial donations be directed to Respite Care Charleston, the Alzheimer’s Association, or St. Andrew’s Pentecostal Holiness Church.