Date Published: September 29, 2011
Julianne Shea Collins, 42, of Calhoun Falls, wife of Bryan Wesson, passed away Friday, Sept. 23, at Self Regional Medical Center in Greenwood. Collins was a researcher at the Greenwood Genetics Center and served as an adjunct faculty member in the department of genetics and biochemistry since 2002.
Born in San Francisco, Calif., she was a daughter of Kenneth J. Collins and Rosalie Collins. Collins grew up in Coffee Creek, Calif., and later graduated with a Ph.D. in medical genetics from the University of Alabama. She married her husband Bryan Wesson in 2001 after they moved to South Carolina together. Collins was passionate about her work as an associate research scientist and genetic epidemiologist at the Greenwood Genetic Center. She was involved with the SC Birth Defects Foundation, the National Birth Defects Prevention Network and the Center for Disease Control. She mentored students as an adjunct professor for both Clemson and the University of South Carolina.
In addition to her husband and parents, Collins is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Jennifer Collins, of Englewood, Colo.; her sister, Joanna Collins of Taylors; and her special friends Sasha Williams of Clemson and Charlene Hughes of Iva.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30, at Grace Community Church in Greenwood. Later that evening at 6:30 p.m., a celebration of her life will be held in the main lobby of the JC Self Research Institute Building at the Greenwood Genetic Center.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to:
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society: http://www.lls.org/;
Humane Society: http://www.humanesociety.org/; or
South Carolina Birth Defects Foundation,
113 Gregor Mendel Circle,
Greenwood, SC 29646.
Condolences may be expressed online at http://www.chandlerjacksonfh.com.