Rita A. Collins

DRACUT        Rita A. Collins, 81, entered into eternal life on April 17, 2017 surrounded by her family. She was the daughter of the late Eli and the late Mary Louise (Lord) Lavoie. Rita was the loving wife of Dennis Collins for the past sixty years.

She was born in Lowell and attended Lowell Public Schools. She traveled the United States with her family from California, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, and Minnesota before returning to New England, settling in Dracut, MA.

Rita loved reading, singing, and collecting dolls. She always enjoyed a good Bingo game, and spending time with her family and friends, especially her grandchildren. Rita was a homemaker and had also worked for Sears in Hudson, NH and then later worked for Sears in Lawrence for a number of years.

She is survived by her loving husband, Dennis ‘Joe’ Collins of Dracut; her daughter, Mary Ellen Bednarski and her husband, Mark, of Scituate, RI; her son, Dennis Collins, Jr. and his wife, Monica, of Eden Valley, MN; her daughter, Kelly Greenberg and her husband, Steve, of Las Vegas, NV; her daughter, Kimberly Matusiak and her husband, Adam, of Lowell, MA; her daughter, Tracy Carter of Hudson, NH; and her son, Sean Collins of Dracut, MA.  She is also survived by ten grandchildren, Christopher, Erin, Jillian, Karleigh, Alex, Emily, Ryan, Zach, Brittney, and Sydney; three great grandchildren, Harley, Greyson and Camden; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Besides her parents, Eli and Mary Louise, Rita was predeceased by her dear sister, Elizabeth ‘Betty’ O’Hearn and her husband, Brian; and her brothers, Richard, Arthur and Edward.

YOU ARE INVITED TO JOIN HER FAMILY FOR HER FUNERAL MASS ON FRIDAY AT 11 A.M. AT ST. MARY MAGDELEN CHURCH, 93 LAKEVIEW AVE., TYNGSBORO MA.

HER BURIAL WILL BE HELD PRIVATELY.

ARRANGEMENTS BY THE MCDONOUGH FUNERAL HOME, 14 HIGHLAND ST., LOWELL, MA 978-458-6816. 

MEMORIALS IN HER NAME TO ST. JUDE CHILDREN’S RESEARCH HOSPITAL, 501 ST. JUDE PLACE, MEMPHIS, TN 38105.