Catherine Marie Roll

 After battling cancer and its treatments’ side effects for over a year, our beloved sister and aunt Catherine Roll died at Broward Health Hospital on July 6, 2026. 

Cathy was born on August 24, 1955, at Broward General Hospital in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She narrowly missed being one of the first babies born at Holy Cross Hospital, which was opened mere days after she was born. As a true native and lifelong Floridian, Cathy loved the water: boating, water skiing, snorkeling in the Keys, and all things beach and ocean—including her water-theme-named dogs: Largo and Sailor. 

Cathy began her primary education at St. Coleman Elementary School in Pompano Beach, FL, and continued it at Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Elementary School in Ft. Lauderdale. She graduated in 1973 from St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Ft. Lauderdale, where she was a cheerleader and an active participant in several clubs and sports. 

Cathy was a proud and honored graduate of The University of Florida, where she earned a Masters in Speech Language Pathology in 1978. Her first jobs in her field were at ArcBroward, then, starting in the mid 80s, at Baptist Hospital in Kendall. After Hurricane Andrew’s damage made her commute from Mid-Broward to Baptist unbearable, she started at Memorial Hospital in Hollywood, where she served admirably for 30 years, earning much praise.

 This sentiment from one of her supervisors highlights Cathy’s work life: “Cathy dedicated her life to her career as a speech-language pathologist. With unwavering kindness and compassion, she touched the lives of countless individuals and families, forming deep connections that extended beyond therapy. While she could treat any age group, in any setting, her passion for working with parents of infants in the neonatal intensive care unit was her greatest joy. She found immense satisfaction in guiding families to nurture and interact with their fragile babies. A lifelong learner, Cathy was not only a mentor and role model for generations of new therapists but also an advocate for patient and family centered care. Her legacy will live on through the many lives she impacted and the warmth she brought to her profession.”

 During breaks from work, Cathy’s adventurous spirit took her to experiences far and wide, including: driving up the East Coast to Washington, DC, New York and as far as the Canadian Maritime Provinces; scuba diving in the Caymans, cruising through Alaska, relaxing at a Tuscan villa, enjoying the London Eye and Stonehenge, and riding the cog railway to the Matterhorn. She was able to capture her adventures on the many photos she took, which brought happy memories at home. 

Cathy was predeceased by her parents, William J.F. Roll, Jr., and Virginia Beck Roll. She is survived by her brother, William J.F. Roll, III, her sister, Lynn Roll Cahoon (Richard), both of Fort Lauderdale; nieces Dr. Leah Casabianca, of Clemson, SC; Julie Casabianca (Yoga Kusmantoro) of Denver CO; and Jessica Roll of Jersey City, NJ, and a nephew Stephen (Amanda) Roll, of New York City. Cathy will be sincerely missed by her family and friends.