Congratulations to Penny Collins, rehabilitation social worker, who recently retired from a 32-year career with North Mississippi Medical Center in Tupelo.

A 1979 graduate of Aberdeen High School, Penny earned her bachelor’s degree in social work in 1983 from Mississippi University for Women. After graduation, she worked for the Department of Human Services in Monroe County, and Lee County Multipurpose Center for the Elderly and Cedars Health Center, both in Tupelo.

In December 1990, she earned her master’s degree in social work from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg and joined the NMMC staff. She worked in acute care, inpatient rehabilitation and dialysis before settling in the Rehabilitation Institute. She has been a licensed social worker for almost 40 years.

“I was part of a great team, and I enjoyed every minute of it,” Penny says. “I learned a lot, gave a lot and received a lot. I’m very honored to have been there for so long. It was a blessing.”

Penny enjoyed interacting with patients and their families, and her favorite part was helping patients return home after rehabilitation.

Now that she has retired, she looks forward to spending more time with family and helping care for her new granddaughter, Eliza. She her husband, Jay, have a daughter, Margaret (Adam) Taylor, and son, Chris (Emily) Collins, all of Tupelo. Penny is an active member of the Tupelo Elvis Fan Club, and she enjoys reading and going to the beach.