Samuel Philip Catalano

To sum up Sam Catalano’s life in a few paragraphs is incredibly difficult. As we sit here drafting this, it is Sam we wish we could ask to proofread and find the words we can’t quite place, for he was an amazing wealth of knowledge that we called upon regularly. The most important message we want to convey is that Sam’s kind nature, smile, and humor lit up everywhere he was--and to be loved by Sam was an honor and a blessing.

Samuel Philip Catalano, 74, of Cornelius passed away surrounded by family on the morning of February 10, 2024. Born June 18, 1949, Sam hailed proudly from Oneida, NY, the first of seven siblings and child of Sally and Phil Catalano. He graduated from Oneida High School in 1967 and from MVCC two years later.

Sam’s life began in earnest when at the age of 15, he attended a dance: that’s where he met 13-year-old Kate Accordino, soon-to-be the love of his life that would thrive for 60 years. In the summer of 1969, Sam and Kathy married, and soon after, had their first child, David Peter. Jennifer Lynn followed three years later, and then came Kevin Michael and Brian Patrick. Where Sam excelled as a father, he delighted in his role as a grandfather (or “Pop” as he was called). He had an abundance of love for his six beautiful grandkids: Tyler, Ryan, Isabella, Cameron, Sammy, and Rocco. Each had a unique and special bond with their Pop that would carry laughter and fun throughout the house.

Sam spent those early years cobbling together a livable wage for his family, selling advertising for the Oneida Dispatch by day and making burgers at Carroll’s by night. His work ethic, intelligence, kindness, and sense of humor paved the way to professional success and the respect and admiration of everyone lucky enough to meet him. In Syracuse, NY, he worked in advertising for Coca-Cola, and then McDonald’s, and was President of the Ronald McDonald House. Opportunities in Charlotte, NC lured Sam and family, where Sam dazzled at Radiator Specialty, Husqvarna, and finally Ariens, from whom he retired in 2022. For those who knew him, even briefly, they gushed about Sam’s gentle spirit, his generosity, and his special brand of goofy smart-assery. He had a knack for finding connections with anybody, putting them at ease, and getting them to snort with laughter.

While he had room in his heart for everyone, he reserved the largest space for Kathy, the brown-eyed girl whom he adored. Theirs was a storybook love that six decades could not exhaust. It stayed as passionate and playful as when they were teenagers. A kind of miracle that only their two hearts could perform.

Although Sam has left this earth, we still feel the reverberations of his spirited presence, abundant love, and hearty laugh. (His absence has also caused a national surplus of pies--mostly apple and strawberry rhubarb--that we have to contend with.)

Sam is survived by his wife, Kathy; four children and their spouses: David Catalano of Richmond, VA; Jennifer and Eric Ehmke of Mooresville, NC; Kevin and Megan Catalano of Gillette, NJ; and Brian and Anj Catalano of Sherman Oaks, CA; three brothers and three sisters and their spouses: Peter Catalano; Betsy Catalano; Barbara and Tim Stevenson; Philip Jr and Paula Catalano; Marianne and Jesper Widen; and Tom and Carrie Catalano; six grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; and his favorite sister-in-law and brother-in-laws: Jane and Howie Bernstein, and Tommy Accordino.

Memorial donations can be made in honor of Sam Catalano to the Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Foundation (www.cjdfoundation.org).

Online memories and condolences may be shared at www.KepnerFH.com