Carolyn Lavina Collins

CAROLYN LAVINA (DUNBRACK) COLLINS, 89, of Hellertown, Pennsylvania, died on Friday, October 3, 2025. Born in Waltham, Massachusetts on November 9, 1935, she was the youngest daughter of the late Edson Innes and Mildred (Firth) Dunbrack. Carolyn is survived by her husband of 68 years, Thomas Collins, as well as three children and five grandchildren. When she first met her beloved husband in seventh grade, he stole her bracelet. She had the spunk to call his father and demand his help in getting the jewelry back from Tommy. They began dating before their senior year at Waltham High School, after Carolyn ditched a would-be beau and headed to a carnival with Tommy, where they got stuck atop a Ferris wheel and never looked back. Together, they built a life rooted in love, laughter and family. A graduate of Katharine Gibbs School in Boston, she held a variety of jobs over the course of her life, including serving as a secretary for a Raytheon executive, Piedmont Airlines' flight attendants union and the Land Trust Alliance. She spent her last decade of employment as an administrative assistant for a Fairfax County, Virginia supervisor. But the focus of her life was always on her family. As the brave, beautiful wife of a U.S. Air Force officer, Carolyn embraced the adventures and challenges of 27 years of military life, where she was often alone with her children. Her life included long stints in Norway, Ohio and Virginia before she moved to Hellertown in 2006. One constant in all her years was a love of dogs, from Sparky Rover Dunbrack in her youth to a series of English Springer Spaniels – Suwannee, Scamp, Shadow and Sam – who frolicked beside her during long walks and happy days. She was the mother of three children: Steve, Sarah and John, all of them born during the administration of President John F. Kennedy. She adored the next generation as well. Sarah and Rob Middleton, who live in Smithtown, New York, have three children: Kathryn, Matt and Grace. Steve and Jackie Majerus-Collins, who live in Auburn, Maine, have two: Kiernan and Mary. Time spent with grandchildren made Carolyn especially happy, including sports, concerts and other milestones in the lives of family members that she rarely missed. Carolyn offered boundless support for her entire family, including her only sibling, Doris Dunbrack Tilly of Blairsville, Georgia. Carolyn could complete crossword puzzles in record time and delighted in games of all kinds. An avid reader and sports fan, she cheered for the Boston Red Sox and local teams. She listened to WBZ radio from Boston late at night, a constant companion for decades. Her travels took her to many places, but her favorites were Norway, where she lived for three years, and Cape Cod, which she visited regularly her entire life. Quick to laugh, kind and always optimistic, Carolyn filled every space with warmth and joy. She will be remembered for her intelligence, humor and love of her family. Her legacy lives on in the laughter she inspired, the steadfast love she shared with Thomas, and the countless cheerful memories she leaves behind. In recent years, she often said, "I had a great life." The Heintzelman Funeral Home, Inc. in Hellertown is in charge of arrangements. Online expressions of sympathy may be recorded at www.heintzelmancares.com. Services will be private, at the convenience of the family, with burial to follow at Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests supporting a favored charity, perhaps helping animals,veterans or Youth Journalism International.