Obituary of Colletta Woodruff

May 9, 1924 - September 6, 2021 – On Monday, September 6, 2021 Mary Colletta (Collings) Woodruff peacefully passed away in Quispamsis, NB, at the age of 97. Colletta is predeceased by her parents James T. and Beatrice A. (Doherty) Collings, her loving husband of 47 years, William E. “Bill” Woodruff (1997), her sister Theresa Stevens, her sisters-in-law: Audrey Collings, Margaret “Peggy” Duffley and Joan Grant, and her brothers-in-law; John E. “Jack” Stevens, Peter McNulty, Bernard Duffley and Harry Grant.

Colletta will be lovingly remembered by her daughters: Maria Arsenault of Saint John, NB, Terry (Steven) Tuck of Kelowna, BC, and Joan (Kevin) Lowney of Rothesay, NB, her brother J. Leo Collings of Hampton, NB, her sister Gertrude McNulty of Belleville, ON, her grandchildren: Jessica (Cameron) Smith of Kamloops, BC, Jeremiah (Mieke) Lowney of Quispamsis, NB, Joshua (Jill) Lowney of Long Reach, NB, Jonathan Arsenault of Saint John, NB, Brianna (Darryl) Lowney of Rothesay, NB, and Kaylee (Ryan) Lowney of Chamcook, NB, her great-grandchildren: Kaden and Veronica, Gabriella, Connor and Henry, Rose and June; her godchildren; Mary Ann Harding, Peter Ryan, Louise McCarville, Judith Kennedy, and Daniel Duffley, as well as several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Born and raised in Saint John, NB, Colletta graduated from St. Vincent’s and before going onto the Mount Carmel Academy. Her career as a secretary included working for Acres, Plasticraft, the Superintendent of the Saint John School Board and the Bishop of the Diocese of Saint John with her retirement after many years from the Saint John Regional Library.

Family and friends will remember Colletta’s love of family gatherings, her photography skills honed on family members and on her travels from Sussex to Ireland and her keen interest in current news events. Having taken singing lessons, Colletta was an avid music lover. Her record collection of classical (especially opera) and stage performances to film musicals was never far away. Most days the radio was turned onto the CBC and Saturday Afternoon at the Opera was rarely missed. And we shall not forget her passion for chocolate and her laughter at a good joke.

As a longtime parishioner of St. Anne’s church, while living in Golden Grove, Colletta was active in parish council, the church choir and the Catholic Women’s League.

The family wishes to thank Dr. Mary Goodfellow, Dr. Robert Poirier, the staff of E.H., the staff of Kindred Home Care, especially Christina, and Kathleen Marshall, for all the care and attention given to Colletta over the past several years.

The family requests that all those wishing to attend the visitation, and the Mass of Christian Burial, to please wear a mask.

Resting at Kennebecasis Funeral Home, 152 Pettingill Rd. Quispamsis, 849-2119. Visitation will take place on Monday, September 13, 2021, from 2:00 – 4:00 PM and 6:00 – 8:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will take place from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church (31 Gondola Point, Rothesay) on September 14, 2021, at 11:00 AM followed by interment in St. Joseph’s Cemetery. 

To view the stream of Colletta's Funeral Mass, click the "Memorial Video" below. 

Donations made in memory of Colletta may be given to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of New Brunswick, Saint John Library Foundation, or the Canadian Mental Health Association. Online condolences may be placed at: www.KennebecasisFH.com