Catherine Rose Collins

Born on June 25, 1944, in New York, New York, Cathy was the daughter of William and Julia (Edgley) LaFave.

On April 6, 1968, she married the love of her life, Donald Steven Collins. Together, Don and Cathy built a life centered on family, raising four children and later welcoming grandchildren and great-grandchildren who became the greatest joy of her later years. They shared a lifelong love story, and after Don’s passing, Cathy carried him in her heart every day, finding comfort in the thought that they would one day be together again.

More than anything, Cathy loved her family. She devoted her life to her husband, her children, and later her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She never needed the spotlight or grand adventures to find happiness. Her greatest joy came from simply being with the people she loved and watching her family grow. Those who knew her will remember her quiet presence, her unwavering love for her family, and the deep devotion she shared with Don throughout their lives together.

The greatest measure of Cathy’s life is the family she leaves behind—a family built with Don, loved without reservation, and cherished until her very last day.

Cathy is survived by her children, Michael Collins and his son, Matthew Collins; Sheila Stavrevski, wife of the late Steven Stavrevski, and her children, Summer, Skylar, Spencer, and Sienna Stavrevski; Kevin Collins and his wife, Amanda, and their children, Maddison, Ethan, and Olivia Collins; and Lana Malizia and her husband, John, and their children, Kandace Encarnacion, Morgan Malizia, Nicholas Malizia, whose wife is Danielle, and Quintin “Q” Malizia.

She was also blessed with four great-grandchildren: Sophia Encarnacion, Larson Montgomery, Rosalie Malizia, and Luca Malizia.

She is also survived by her sister, Mary Ann Conroy, and her sister-in-law, Anne LaFave.

Cathy was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald Steven Collins; her parents, William and Julia LaFave; her brother, William LaFave; and her beloved son-in-law, Steven Stavrevski, husband of her daughter, Sheila.

A Funeral Service will be held at Bay Pines National Cemetery, 10000 Bay Pines Boulevard, Bay Pines, Florida, on Friday, August 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m.

A Celebration of Life will immediately follow at Garden Sanctuary Funeral Home, 7950 131st Street North, Seminole, Florida, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.