Joseph Katz

Family-Placed Obituary

Joseph Katz Joseph Katz, 89, beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away on Saturday, March 5, 2005, after a long battle with congestive heart failure. He was born in St. Paul, Minnesota, on January 1, 1916 one of seven children. He attended the Minnesota School for the Deaf and in 1938 married Rose Raben, who attended the Iowa School for the Deaf. They celebrated 67 years of loving marriage this year. With Rose, Joe lived in Fort Worth, Houston, and -- for the last fifteen years -- in Austin, so that he could be close to his son, Jerry Paul Katz, his daughter-in-law, Carrin, and his grandsons, Stephen Katz and David Katz, along with David's wife Shelly. Joe was an extremely proud grandfather at the age of eighty-nine. He was proud of his achievements in life, but would most often speak of his pride in his son and two grandsons, who he would lovingly refer to as his three doctors: Jerry is a dentist, David is a physician, and Stephen is working on his Doctorate in English Literature. Joe always felt that this was a real accomplishment for a hearing-impaired person, who came from a very modest family of seven, and who had little money and no college education. Neverthless, Joe did learn to work hard and aim high, and he passed that belief on to his son and grandsons. At the age of seven, Joe and his brothers began selling newspapers on the streetcorner in Saint Paul, Minnesota. Joe earned money at an early age to support himself and contribute to his family's needs. He even polished shoes at the state fair of Minnesota. These early lessons in selling made him comfortable around the hearing, and made him so confident about selling that he had his own business selling automobile parts and tools for over thirty-two years in Fort Worth and Houston. He retired in 1990, at the age of seventy-four, when he and Rosie moved to Austin. However, he continued to sell as he helped Rosie with her business selling products for the hearing-impaired. Family and friends will always remember him as a cheerful and positive person, whose kindness and friendliness were open to everyone. He was an avid supporter of the Westlake High School football team, and rarely missed a game over the last ten years. He was also active in the Deaf Senior Citizens group, and a longtime supporter of the Texas School for the Deaf. Joe is survived by his wife Rose, his son, Jerry Paul Katz and his wife Carrin; grandsons, David Katz and his wife Shelly, and Stephen Katz; his two brothers Oscar and Morris Katz; and many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation to the Texas School for the Deaf Alumni Association and Museum. The family offers their thanks to Dr. Frank Robinson and his staff, to Joe's caregivers, Mimi Palomo and Mercedes Montemayor, and to Hospice Austin. The service will be held at Temple Beth Shalom, at the Dell Jewish Community Center (at 7300 Hart Lane), on Tuesday, March 8, 2005, at 11:00 a.m.