Frankie Jane (Collins) Quamme
May 3, 1936 – September 24, 2026
Frankie Jane (Collins) Quamme died peacefully on Thursday, the 24th of September 2026 at her home in Peachtree City, Georgia. She was 90 years old. Frankie struggled with dementia the last few years of her life and her children were privileged to reciprocate the love and care that she had shown them during their lifetime.
Frankie was born at the Collins homeplace on Sunday, the 3rd of May 1936. She was the eldest daughter and the second of nine children born to Malvin Collins, Sr and Gertrude (Jones) Collins. She was raised on the family farm on the outskirts of the rural South Georgia town of Whigham. She always loved being from the south and truly was a sweet Georgia peach through and through.
Frankie graduated from Whigham High School in 1954 and attended Norman College for over a year before returning home to work in Cairo, Georgia. One Saturday afternoon, she and her sister, Nancy, drove up to Moultrie and went cruising about. There are rumors that Frankie may have possibly been hoping to spot an old beau, but that is just hearsay. Though what did occur was a “fly boy” based in Moultrie and his buddies flagged them down. They were quite a delightful bunch of fellas and after exchanging phone numbers, the girls headed homeward, not expecting to hear from them at all. However, when they arrived, a call had been received on the “party line” and here came cousin Montine from across the field in full voice for all to hear delivering a message to Frankie that she had a call from some guy named “Hurlan Crumme” or something of the sort as Montine could tell that he was obviously not local.
Nonetheless, the rest is history. At the first opportunity, Harlan drove down to Whigham and charmed Frankie – as well as all those he met. Cousin Montine and her husband, Willard Vickers, even gave him a key to their house so he had a place to stay each weekend he came calling. Mama said they spent many a Sunday after church sitting on the porch swing just talking and reading the Atlanta Journal & Constitution newspaper together. They were smitten and it was meant to be. Joe and Grace Quamme and family drove down from Minneapolis, Minnesota after their son graduated first in his class at Spence Air Force Base in Texas. They endured the gnats and heat as Harlan and Frankie exchanged solemn vows at Magnolia Baptist Church on a Sunday afternoon in July 1958.
The two honeymooned all the way up to Minneapolis, Minnesota where they lived during their first years of marriage. Harlan’s job changes took them to Iowa, Georgia, North Carolina, back to Georgia, Illinois, South Carolina, Georgia once more, England, and yet again, Georgia, where they retired and finally settled in Peachtree City in 1998. They enjoyed many travels throughout their life, domestically as well as internationally. Harlan was the ever adventurous one, the story-teller extraordinaire, and the guy that never met a stranger. Frankie was a quieter soul, a bit more reserved, yet witty, fun and very much his faithful wife and confidant! While Frankie and Harlan enjoyed traveling adventures across the globe, she never lost touch with her family and friends from Grady County.
Frankie was a homemaker, a mama to four children and the wife of an aviator. Sounds so simple, but as any mother knows, she wore so many hats and her job was the most rewarding, exhausting, beautiful, and complicated at times. However, Frankie excelled at it! She was full of southern hospitality and never questioned adding as many extra plates to the table as needed when friends were brought home or relatives visited from across the country and even across the Atlantic. Also, she and Harlan opened their home to a Danish exchange student, Dorte Jensen, who lived with the family for a year. Frankie hosted with a smile and kind spirit. And ever the perfectionist, she was always stylish in the way she dressed – quite the classic look! Her children all agree that she was the best mom ever! Her children rise up and called her blessed (Proverbs 31:28) – and they are blessed because of the deep love and care she gave to them.
Frankie was also an exceptionally talented seamstress. She could sew just about anything, but her specialty became making quilts with the help of her sisters for the annual Collins-Harvell Family Reunion – a much-anticipated event each year! Mama and her sisters were a tight bunch growing up, and even more so as they had families of their own. After Harlan died in 2009, “the girls” would plan various excursions and beach trips together. Also, her love of God, Home and Country inspired her to research her family history and become a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution.
Frankie lived out her faith quietly through her actions. She was a selfless and generous person. One of her favorite Bible passages was I Corinthians 13, which was a reflection of how she lived her life: “…Love is patient, Love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails…”
Survivors include: her children, daughter, Colleen Swartsenburg; her favorite son, Scott Quamme; daughter, Carolyn (Tim) Shirey and daughter, Kimberly Miller as well as a Danish “daughter”, Dorte Jensen (Rene) Staunstrup of Denmark; grandchildren, Rachel (Brian) Harrod, Zachary Quamme, Jonathan (Meagan) Shirey, Eric Quamme, Joshua (Courtney) Shirey, Owen Miller, Rebekah (Mark) Hernandez, Karissa Quamme, Ella Miller, Lauren Miller and four great-grandchildren, Joseph, Adalynn, Wrenley Jane and Antonio; her sisters and brothers, Nancy Clark, Virginia Ponder, Kenneth Collins, Carlton Collins and Suzy Davis as well as sisters-in-law, Sonja Larkin, Patrice Olander-Quamme, Linda Collins, Karen Collins and brother-in-law, Clifford Davis; as well as a host of nieces and nephews and extended family.
Frankie was preceded in death by her husband of 51 years, Harlan Joseph Quamme; her son-in-law, Bradley Swartsenburg, her brothers, Malvin Collins, Jr., Manuel Collins and Wayne Collins, her sisters-in-law, Maggie Collins, Helen Collins, Norma Munson and brothers-in-law, Lauren Clark, Jr., Ray Ponder, Bert Larkin, Dennis Munson and Glenn Olander-Quamme.
The family will receive friends at the Clark Funeral Home in Cairo, Georgia on Tuesday, the 29th of September from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. with the service beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the Clark Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow immediately at Magnolia Baptist Church Cemetery in Whigham.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the churches she loved dearly: Magnolia Baptist Church in Whigham, Georgia or First Baptist Church in Peachtree City, Georgia.
May God’s love and the message of eternal hope through Jesus Christ continue to be proclaimed until He returns.
