Irena “Rena” Kollanda, 86, of Palm Bay, Florida passed away peacefully on September 19th, 2025 after a battle with cancer.

Rena was born in Athens, Greece in 1939 to Greek parents Iakovos and Ellie Gavatidou. As a youth she excelled in gymnastics and track, winning numerous awards and found employment as a professional acrobat after she finished her schooling.

In 1958 she met and married the love of her life Clayton Kollanda of West Haven, CT in Athens while he was serving as a U.S. Marine deployed to the Mediterranean. 

At the age of nineteen, Rena left the only home and family she ever knew and sailed alone to New York City where she would join her new husband and his family in Connecticut. Together they created a wonderful life in Meriden, CT and Palm Bay, FL and remained married and deeply in-love right up until the time of her passing. Her life was devoted to caring for her family, cooking delicious meals, coffee and card games with close friends, and a boundless love of animals.

Rena was preceded in death by her eldest son, Rudy, but her memory lives on with her husband Clayton, 89; her son Jacob and wife Nancy and her son Spiro and his wife Larissa; As well as six grandchildren; Jessica, Stephanie, Clayton, Tyrus, Jaegan, and Kalen, and three great-grandchildren; Luke, Parker, and Joseph.

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