Photos courtesy of Matt Catania
Our Newtown Square community suffered a tremendous loss on May 1st with the word that our friend and neighbor, Joe Catania, had passed away unexpectedly.
Joe was a lifelong resident of Newtown Square. He was born and raised in the St. Albans section of Newtown Square where his parents still live today. Joe and his family were featured in our December 2021 issue, which highlighted four generations of Catanias still living and working in Newtown Square.
To say that Joe was a pillar of our community is an understatement. He served as a Newtown Township Republican Leader, Chairman of the Newtown Township Board of Supervisors, and was the current Township Solicitor. Joe’s commitment to Newtown Township earned him special recognition in 2016 when the Board of Supervisors passed a resolution that publicly recognized him for his outstanding service and commitment to the residents of Newtown Township.
But the work Joe was most proud of over the years was with his Challenger League family at Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL). Joe and his wife, Maureen, introduced the program to NELL over 30 years ago, and their two special-needs sons, Jimmy and Luke, were inaugural players. Over the years, the program has expanded to include a Senior Challenger League. Now Jimmy and Luke are Assistant Coaches along with their brother Matt, who now sits on NELL’s Board, representing the Challenger Division.
Joe’s lifetime of accomplishments and the positive impact he had on so many people will be remembered for many years to come. NELL’s President, Daren Grande, announced that all the league’s teams will wear a commemorative “JC” patch on their uniforms, and Joe’s family has requested that donations in his memory should be made to Newtown Edgmont Little League. If you were a friend of Joe, you were considered family. He was many things to many people: a husband, father, grandpop, son, brother uncle, coach, mentor and friend. He leaves behind his wife, Maureen, his four sons, Joey, Jimmy, Matt and Luke, his three grandchildren whom he absolutely adored, two daughters-in-law, his parents and siblings and many nieces and nephews. Joe’s presence and commitment to his family and the residents of Newtown Square will be greatly missed. On behalf of all of us from Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors magazine, we extend our deepest condolences to all who knew and loved Joe.
