Grace A. Collins

SHREWSBURY: Grace Ann (Martinelli) Collins, 77, passed away peacefully on May 22, 2026, in Florida after an extended illness, surrounded by her loving family.

Grace was born in Massachusetts, the youngest of five children and the daughter of Italian immigrants from Montescaglioso. She grew up in Shrewsbury and attended the Shrewsbury public schools. Grace faced significant hardship early in life, losing her mother shortly after birth. When she was a teenager living with her father, the family home burned down and she was welcomed into the home of her high school friend Mary Lou and her mother, Mary Driscoll, whose love and support became an important part of Grace’s life and remained deeply meaningful to her always.

Grace met the love of her life, John “Jack” Collins, while he was a student at the College of the Holy Cross. They married 54 years ago and began building a life together grounded in love, resilience, family, and community. While Jack attended law school, Grace worked to support their young family. Together they made their first home in Auburn before eventually returning to Shrewsbury, where they raised their daughter Kimberly and son Michael.

Grace spent much of her life working in human services and caring for others. In later years, she became deeply devoted to the recovery community through AA and Al-Anon. Sponsoring and mentoring others became one of the great purposes and joys of her life. What made Grace truly unique was her remarkable character – her integrity. She was compassionate yet strong, and her heart overflowed with empathy for others. Through her honesty, humor, and hard-earned wisdom, she helped many people find hope and healing. Even during her final years and illness, Grace remained committed to supporting others in recovery.

Grace found joy in simple things: the ocean, cooking, family gatherings, friendship, and caring for the people she loved. She especially loved Martha’s Vineyard, where she and Jack spent many cherished years together. Grace became a beloved presence at the Menemsha Market, where she was known and loved by locals and visitors alike. Some of her happiest moments were spent with her granddaughter Courtney, taking her to Menemsha Beach to collect shells, swim in the ocean, and watch the sunset. She could often be found swimming far out between the buoys in Menemsha in her wetsuit, much to the nervous concern of her children, who joked she looked like a seal bobbing in the harbor. Grace bravely took up scuba diving in her 50s because of her deep love for the sea. She spent decades diving throughout the Caribbean with Jack, his siblings, in-laws and other family and friends. Food was Grace’s love language. Inspired by her Italian roots and the cooking traditions passed down through her father and by Mary Driscoll, Grace created a home where everyone felt welcomed and nourished. Her kitchen was the heart of countless holidays and gatherings, filled with the smells of sauce simmering for days, homemade lasagna, and her beloved eggplant parmesan. For family and friends alike, Grace’s table was a place of warmth, laughter, generosity, and belonging.

Grace is survived by her loving husband, John “Jack” Collins; her daughter Kimberly; her son Michael; her granddaughter Courtney; her son-in-law Donny; her sister Mary; and many extended family members, friends, and members of the recovery community whose lives she touched deeply.

Her family will remember her for her strength, humor, resilience, generosity, enormous heart and for the way she made people feel cared for, seen, and at home. In the final chapter of her life, Grace moved forward not with fear, but with deep gratitude for all the love she was able to give and receive. She approached death, as she approached life, with tremendous grace.

A “celebration of life” will be announced soon. And in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to one of Grace’s favorite organizations supporting those in recovery, The Vineyard House. https://www.vineyardhouse.org/donate-now