Edward F. “Ed” Collins, 91, of Lowell, died Sunday, September 24th, 2023 at Lowell General Hospital surrounded by his family, just two days before his 92nd birthday. After courageously battling kidney disease and cancer for more than two and one-half years, he did not have the strength to beat COVID.
Born in Lowell on September 26, 1931, to the late Mary (O’Loughlin) and Michael Collins, who emigrated from County Clare, Ireland, Ed was a life-long communicant of the Immaculate Conception Parish. He was educated at the Immaculate Conception School and Keith Academy. After graduation from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy in 1955, he was drafted into the United States Army in 1957 and served at Fort Dix in NJ where he met his late wife, Elizabeth “Betty” Lydon. They married in 1958.
After working as a drug salesman for Geigy Pharmaceuticals for several years, Ed began his career as a pharmacist at Carr’s Pharmacy in Lowell. He later joined Murphy & Callahan Pharmacy and worked there for 36 years until his retirement in late 2004.
On November 22, 2023, he would have celebrated 35 years of sobriety, one of the accomplishments of which he was most proud.
He is survived by his daughters, Ellen of Lowell, Elizabeth Hickle and her husband, Patrick, of Bedford, NH, and Judith of Jersey City, NJ, and by his grand-daughters, Jessica Hickle of New Haven, CT, and Kathryn (Katie) Hickle of Boston, MA. In addition to his parents and his wife, he was predeceased by his sisters, Mary and M. Louise Collins, his best friend, Dr. John Janas, Jr., and his 3 cats, frenzi, Sassy, and Luigi.
A funeral Mass will be celebrated at the Immaculate Conception Church in Lowell on Saturday, September 30, 2023 at 11 am. Viewing hours will precede the Mass from 10 am to 11 am at the church. Burial will follow at St. Patrick’s Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his memory to the Immaculate Conception Church Building Fund, https://osvhub.com/iclowell/giving/funds/buillding-fund , and Lowell General Hospital, https://www.lowellgeneral.org/about-us/ways-to-give/donate-online1 Please find us on Facebook or use this website to leave the family a message of condolence at any time.
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