Joseph A. Cataldi

Joseph Anthony Cataldi, Jr., the loving and devoted husband of Claire (Pavelack) Cataldi, died peacefully on Thursday April 3, 2025, at Hartford Hospital where he was born on September 10, 1948. Joe was the cherished son of Joseph and Klemensa (Kazalski) Cataldi and lived the majority of his life in Manchester, CT. Joe met Claire, the love of his life, when he was only 14 years old. For the next 62 years, Joe and Claire enjoyed a life together that exemplified true love and devotion. Their 55th wedding anniversary would have been April 11th. Joe grew up on McKinley Street in Manchester where he was a parishioner at Assumption Church. As a boy, Joe loved playing catcher on his Little League team and making mischief with his best friends George Cochran and Tom Rufini. Joe attended Manchester schools and graduated from Manchester High School in 1966. That same year, at the age of 17, Joe became the youngest Town of Manchester Duckpin Bowling Champion. Joe proudly served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1968 to 1974 and in 2009 he retired from the State of Connecticut Comptroller's Office after 37 years of service. He was also a lifetime member of the Manchester Sportsmen's Association. Joe was a true New England sports fan and rooted for the Bruins, Patriots, Celtics, and his beloved Red Sox. Joe also loved UConn basketball, and we know the UConn Women's Basketball Team had an extra angel available to help them secure the National Championship! During their retirement years, Joe and Claire enjoyed cruising to Alaska and the Mediterranean, taking trips to Atlantic City and Las Vegas, and spending their winters in St. Petersburg, Florida. In 2013, Joe and Claire moved from Manchester, CT, to Crystal Lake in Ellington, CT, where Joe could fully enjoy his love of nature every day. Joe loved to watch the bald eagles fly over the lake, tend to his tomato plants, and prepare sugar water for the beautiful hummingbirds that would frequent his feeders. In addition to being a devoted husband, Joe was a dedicated and supportive father to his daughters Lisa (Cataldi) Barry and her husband Ryan Barry and Lora (Cataldi) Cosmini and her husband Ryan Cosmini. As proud as he was of his daughters, Joe's greatest gifts were his seven grandchildren, Ryan Jr, Caroline, and Henry Barry and Dominic, Cameron, Wesley, and Mallory Cosmini. They loved their "Pop" with all of their hearts and they will forever miss eating "Pop's Perfect Pancakes." Besides Claire, his daughters, and his grandchildren, Joe leaves his sister, Joan (Cataldi) Burnett and her husband Pete, his nieces Janet and Julie, his nephew Jeffrey, and countless friends. All who knew Joe will remember his dry sense of humor, his unwavering loyalty to his family and friends, and his selflessness. Joe was a very special man and words cannot express how greatly he will be missed. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, April 10th, 2025, at 11:30 a.m. at St. James Church, 896 Main Street Manchester. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations in his memory be made to Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital (https://www.stjude.org) or The Arbor Day foundation at Plant a Tree.