Obituary of Ruth Louise (Collins) Phelan

Ruth Louise (Collins) Phelan, 77, of Salem died Saturday at her residence after a long illness. She was the wife of Howard Phelan. She was born in Peabody on November 25, 1929 the daughter of the late Edward P. and Myrtle I. (Barnes) Collins and was raised there before moving to Salem 50 years ago. She had been a clerk at the former Ann & Hope Store at the Liberty Tree Mall in Danvers for 12 years prior to her retirement. She was an avid reader and enjoyed her pet cats. Surviving her besides her husband are 2 sons, Michael and William Phelan both of Salem, two sisters, Alyce O’Neil of Portsmouth, NH and Irene Collins of Peabody , her sisters-in-law, Mary Clark of Homosassa,FL. Norma Clark and Barbara Glackin both of Salem and Ila Phelan of Beverly, and several nieces and nephews. She was the sister of the late William and Frank Clark and Edward Collins. A Visitation will be held on Thursday from 4:00 until 8:00 PM at the Conway, Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home at the 20 Church St., Peabody facility. Her funeral will be held on Friday at 8:00 AM from the Funeral Home followed by a Funeral Mass in St. John’s Church, Peabody at 9:00 AM. Burial will be in Greenlawn Cemetery, Salem. Relatives and fiends are kindly invited. Expressions of sympathy may be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 10 Elm St., Danvers, MA in her memory.