Josephine Battaglia Collins

Josephine “Jo” Collins was born in Charleroi, Pennsylvania on June 10, 1924 and departed this life at her home in Mobile on November 29, 2014. After moving to the Detroit area with her parents in her late teens, she met her future husband, Bryan, whom she married in 1952. She enthusiastically followed Bryan in advancing his career moving to Chicago, North Jersey and later Opelika, Alabama and Memphis, Tennessee.

“Grandma Jo” enjoyed life wherever she was, quickly making friends and becoming involved in volunteer work for her church and her community. She was a wonderful wife and mother, always having a full meal on the table and supporting her children in their school activities.

When her youngest child left home, she began a second career rejoining the workforce as an Executive Assistant in the President’s Office at Auburn University. After moving to Memphis, she continued working in the marketing office of Schering-Plough. After she retired, she actively enjoyed life with her many friends, traveling to several continents, volunteering as a docent for special exhibits in Memphis and socializing in many ways.

Grandma Jo moved to Mobile in 2006 to be near her family and again quickly made friends and became part of the community. She was an active member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church, a volunteer with the Mobile Infirmary Auxiliary and a regular participant in the morning water aerobics class at the Hearin-Chandler YMCA. She was a voracious reader and avid knitter until her last days. Among her many talents was an incredible culinary skill and her family regularly enjoyed and marveled at her wonderful Sunday dinners which she insisted on cooking herself.

Mrs. Collins was preceded in death by her parents, Gaetano Battaglia and Concettina Privitera Battaglia, and her husband, W. Bryan Collins. She is survived by her children, Celia Collins (Henry Macon), Kathleen Borowitz (Stephen) and Bryan Collins (Jennifer), her grandchildren, Colleen Dicks (Joseph), Caitlin Macon, Cara Macon, Molly Borowitz and Maggie Borowitz, and her sisters, Angie Giffels and Tina Davis, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

On behalf of Jo, her family thanks her many friends across the country for enriching her life with their friendship.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at St. Ignatius Church at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, December 6, followed by interment at Mobile Memorial Gardens, after which the family will greet friends with a celebration of Jo’s life at noon at the Marian Center at St. Ignatius.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the GYN Cancer Research Endowment, USA Office of Development, 300 Alumni Circle, Mobile, AL 36688, or Catholic Charities, P.O. Box 230, Mobile, AL 36601.