Inez Collicott de la Bretonne died on June 21, 2011 at the age of 86 in Richland, Washington. She was born September 5, 1924, in Denver, Colorado, the eighth of eleven children of Edgar Lee Collicott and Harriet Eva Gillespie Collicott. She spent her young life in the Yakima Valley where she met and married her husband, Ernie de la Bretonne. In 1944, Inez and Ernie moved to Richland where they raised their three children: Ernie Jr., Irene, and Patricia. In 2005, she and Ernie moved to Guardian Angel Homes where Ernie died in 2006.

Inez loved reading and writing, especially poetry, and produced a collection of her poems written from age seven to adult. For more than 32 years, Inez taught Sunday School at the Richland Church of the Nazarene, and also served on the Church Board among numerous other boards and committees. She loved music and sang in the church choir. Her children remember her singing and humming wherever she went, whether shopping or doing chores around the house.

Although her life centered on church and children, she worked outside the home for nearly 30 years. She helped establish the family business, Ernie's Printing. She was a wizard with words and worked as a technical editor and document production specialist for several Richland companies, including Donald W. Douglas Laboratories, Holosonics, and the Joint Center for Graduate Studies now WSU-Tri-Cities, where her work supported the development of the Stirling engine that powered the first artificial heart.

Inez was a remarkable gardener, growing beautiful flowers and plants indoors and out. She cherished time spent in the natural world and may have snapped a record number of photographs of the sun setting over Badger Mountain. She was very handy and artistic and could make just about anything. She sewed clothes for her young children, crafted visuals for teaching Sunday School, and created stained glass hangings. She was a graceful and strong swimmer and loved to swim -- especially in Hawaii where she traveled often.

Her greatest joys have always been children, including her own grandchildren -- Michael Hays, Cheri Masters, Shannon Hays-Truex Mike Truex, Rick de la Bretonne Oneida, Nick de la Bretonne Klein; and her great grandchildren -- Brandon and Tyler Masters Racheal; Bryan Hays; Mayra and Sean Truex; Crystal Hollinger Grisenti Shawn; Julia de la Bretonne; and great great-grandson Easton Thomas Grisenti -- all of whom survive her. She is also survived by her three children: Ernie de la Bretonne Jr. Marilyn, Irene de la Bretonne Hays, and Patricia de la Bretonne; and her two sisters, Lois, and Betty; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Inez was deeply spiritual, seeking and sharing peace and joy, even during the six years she lived in Guardian Angel Homes. We are grateful to the caregivers and staff at Guardian Angel Homes and Hospice of Tri-Cities for their care and support.

Graveside services will be held on Saturday, July 2, 2011 at 11:00 am Sunset Memorial Gardens followed by a reception at Memories at Sunset Event Center in Richland.