Catherine M. Collins

Catherine Mae "Kay" Collins, age 89, died peacefully on Tuesday, January 13, at her home in Pompton Plains, NJ. Kay was born in Brooklyn, New York, on April 22, 1936, to parents Melville Webster Collins, Sr. and Catherine Steinbugler-Collins. She graduated from Saint Elizabeth University (Florham Park, NJ) and went on to earn her master's degree at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania. She began working at Ramapo College in 1976, teaching swimming, tennis, badminton, and volleyball and progressed to coaching women's field hockey, women's basketball, and women's tennis. In 1982, Kay became the assistant director of the Ramapo College Department of Athletics, Intramurals, and Recreation. She served as the director from 1992-1998 and was the associate director from 1998 until her retirement in 2001. In 1995, she received the Honor Award from the NJ Association of Intercollegiate Athletics for Women. Kay was an avid tennis player, competing in local tournaments for many years. She had a passion for running, participated in many road races, and ran the Avon International Marathon in Ottawa, Canada.

She moved to Pompton Plains, NJ in 1995 and was a dedicated fan and supporter of the Pequannock Township High School marching band. Kay loved to cheer for the band and attended as many competitions as possible. Later in life, Kay took up golf and played in the Pequannock Township Women's Golf League. She loved her town, her garden, birds at her bird feeders, and above all else, her family. She was preceded in death by her parents and younger brother, Melville "Myke" Collins. Her kindness of spirit and bright smile will be dearly missed by all her family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, Kay wished for donations to be made in her memory to Pequannock Township Public Library where she volunteered her time. Her memorial service is to be announced.