Grace Lucille Colletta

RENO, NV – Grace Lucille Colletta, age 91, of Reno, NV and formerly of Rockford passed away peacefully at home on Saturday November 13, 2021. Born in Polo, IL on December 20, 1929 to Albert & Verna Irene Hambley (Smythe).

After graduation in 1947 from Polo Community High School, Grace worked as a hotel waitress in Mt. Morris, where she met and later married James Earl Nelson on December 21, 1947. During their 43 year marriage they had 5 children: Barbara, David, Betty, Ellen and Rebecca. A dedicated scout leader for the Girl & Boy Scouts, room mother and PTA Board as their children grew up, Grace was always active and involved in community projects and fundraisers such as the March of Dimes, Toys for Tots, Meals on Wheels, St. Jude's and making sleeping bags for the homeless. True to her faith, she served as a proud & devoted member of Beth Eden United Methodist Church in Rockford, College United Methodist in Philomath, OR, United Methodist Women and the Edenetts of Rockford. Grace worked most of her career at Amerock and the Rockford Newspaper, after her retirement in 1991 she married Vincent Colletta on August 4, 1994.

She is survived by her children, Barbara Crouse of Reno, NV, David (Deb) Nelson of Oxford, WI, Betty (Michael) Johnson of Winchester, WI and Rebecca (Lester) Sample of Rockford; brother, Paul Hambley of Cedarville, IL; grandchildren, Tonya Granata, Tara John, Kevin & Lance Nelson, Kimberly Milka, Robert Day, Jason & Thad Johnson, Lucian & Alexis Sample; great grandchildren, Brittney, McKenna, Ty, Olivia, Madeline, Parker, Sophia, Spencer, Emerson, Lily, Mercedes, Ciera, Isiaah, Aurora and Noah; great great grandson, Michael; niece, Gloria Seggner; as well as numerous nieces & nephews and many dear friends. She is predeceased by her husbands, James Nelson and Vincent Colletta; infant daughter, Ellen Louise Nelson; parents, Albert & Verna Irene Hambley (Smythe); brothers, Oscar, Lewellen, Earl, John, Willard, Albert and Lawrence Hambley; sisters, Ester Bell, Myrtle Bond, Ruth Humphreys, Mary Wakenight, Isabelle Lyons, Edith Rose, Betty Hambley and Eleanor Crouse; and step- granddaughter, Mandy Sample.

Funeral Services held Saturday December 4, 2021 at 12:00 noon at the Christenson Funeral Home, 925 3 ^rd Avenue, with visitation from 11:00 AM until the time of services at 12:00 noon. Private Entombment at Sunset Memorial Gardens, Machesney Park, IL. Memorials to the family.

Please join the family via Facebook Live for services (Central Standard Time) https://www.facebook.com/ChristensonFuneralHomeCrematory/

www.rockfordfunerals.com