Mary Collison
Mary Collison (1892 - 1970) was an American Bahá’í who was named a Knight of Bahá’u’lláh for pioneering to Ruanda-Urundi.
Biography[edit]
Collison was born Mary Gale in 1892.[1] In 1920 she married Rex Collison and they discovered the Bahá’í Faith together in 1924 while living in Geneva, New York, reading a Bahá’í book then meeting with Howard Colby Ives and Mabel Ives in January. They declared in 1925 and undertook an extensive travel teaching tour across the United States in 1928. Both she and Rex were involved in the construction of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Wilmette, Illinois, after declaring.[2]
Collison served the American Bahá’í community in several capacities after declaring including serving on the National Teaching Committee, teaching at summer schools, serving on the first Outline Committee established by the National Spiritual Assembly of the United States to prepare study outlines, and between 1945 and 1952 she undertook travel teaching trips across the country.[2]
In 1952 the Collison's pioneered to Kampala, Uganda, and in May, 1953, they pioneered to Ruanda-Urundi with Dunduzu Chisiza, a Bahá’í who served as their translator. They were only able to remain in the country for eighteen months due to government policy however they secured twenty declarations before departing. They returned to Uganda from Ruanda-Urundi where they assisted with the construction of the Bahá’í House of Worship in Kampala serving as its custodians once it was completed.[2]
In 1966 the Collison's returned to the United States settling in Geyserville, California, and Mary passed in 1970.[2]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1994). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 19 (1983-1986), Pg(s) 595. View as PDF.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Earl Redman, The Knights of Baha'u'llah, George Ronald: Oxford, 2017, p 92
