Janet Frances Catalina

Janet Francis Catalina (née Middendorf), 79, of New Port Richey, Florida, passed away on April 29, 2026, at Peninsula Health Center in Tarpon Springs, Florida. She was born on November 29, 1946, at Allegheny General Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was raised in the North Hills of Pittsburgh.

Janet was the daughter of the late Robert F. Middendorf and Anna K. Godkins.

She graduated from Vincentian High School and went on to attend Steubenville College and Robert Morris University, where she met Louis F. Catalina III. The two were married on July 19, 1969. She later earned her Bachelor of Science in Education from Kent State University in 1969, followed by a Master’s degree in Education with a specialty in reading in 1972.

Janet dedicated her life to education and the development of young learners. She began her teaching career as a second-grade teacher at Kent Elementary School from 1969 to 1978. After the birth of her son, Louis F. Catalina IV, on September 22, 1978, she continued her commitment to teaching, later working at St. Sebastian Elementary School in Akron, Ohio. In 1982, she moved to Florida, where she continued her career in elementary education at several Catholic schools in the New Port Richey area, shaping the lives of countless students through her patience, care, and dedication.

Janet was a devoted mother and a proud grandmother to Mahlon May Rose Brady Catalina and Louis F. Catalina V, who brought her immense joy. She is also survived by her sisters Mary, Rosemary, and AnnaMae. She was preceded in death by her sister Nancy, who passed away at an early age. Janet and Louis F. Catalina III later divorced.

Janet will be remembered for her beautiful smile, her infectious laugh, her deep love for her family, and her remarkable resiliency. She was a proud mother whose son continues to serve after 24 years as a Naval Aviator, achieving the rank of Captain. Her legacy lives on in the many lives she touched as a teacher and in the love she shared with those closest to her.

She will be deeply missed by her family and all who knew her.