9 minute read
The Catania Family
Four Generations of Family in Newtown Square
Resident Feature by Sheila Turner-Hilliard
Photos by Katie Borsuk Photography www.KatieBorsuk.com
We would like to thank
ALPHA CENTURY SECURITY
for sponsoring this month’s Resident Feature.
The holiday season is all about celebrating and spending time with our families, and for the Catanias, that means a full house, full bellies and four generations of unconditional love right here in Newtown Square.
Meet Jim and Ann Catania. Jim grew up in Norristown, and Ann in Narberth. Their love story began in 1950, during a chance encounter at a swim club not far from where Jim lived. Ann was there to celebrate her niece’s 13th birthday, and Jim happened to be hanging out with friends that day. “I noticed Ann right away,” Jim said. “I made my way over and asked her name and where she was from.” Ann said that Jim really must have wanted to make a big splash because after she answered him, he dramatically fell into the pool.
Jim and Ann Catania
After the party, Ann went back to Narberth. But little did she know that Jim was determined to see her again. Ann explained that back then, the place for young adults to see and be seen on the weekends was the Ardmore dance. Jim took a chance and went there the following weekend, hoping to find Ann. Unfortunately, she wasn’t there, but he asked around and found one of Ann’s friends, who told Jim that Ann worked at the local rug company and suggested he stop there the next day.
Jim’s persistence paid off. Ann was certainly surprised when she saw Jim after her shift that day. “I had to give him a lot of credit for his determination,” Ann laughed. The two began dating and were married just a few years later, in 1952. Jim worked as a Union Carpenter and Ann worked at Delaware Valley HMO. They moved into Ann’s parents’ home in Narberth, to begin their life together and to care for Ann’s ailing father. “My mother needed to work while my father was ill, so having Jim and I there helped tremendously,” explained Ann.
As the years added up, so did Jim and Ann’s family.
They tried to find something in Narberth, but the homes were just too small. Neither Jim nor Ann had ever considered moving outside of that area until Ann’s brother moved to Broomall.
“When my brother moved to Broomall, I thought there was no way we were going that far,” said Ann. “Jim and I were both from walkable towns, so living in an area that was just being developed didn’t appeal to us.” That was until her brother told them about new homes being built in the St. Albans section of Newtown Square. Ann and Jim made the drive out to the suburbs and fell in love with the developer’s plans. They chose a home with plenty of space on a beautiful lot and officially became Newtown Square residents in 1959.
The Catania family was one of the first to live in the St. Albans area, but it soon became a neighborhood full of families with young children. As Jim and Ann settled into suburban life, they welcomed two more kids to their bunch.
Ann and Jim still live in the home they built 62 years ago, and three of their five children live in Newtown Square as well. Even more impressive is that four of their grandchildren are now raising their families here, too. When you do the math, it adds up to nine households and four generations of Catanias in Newtown Square!
Jim and Ann’s oldest son, Joe, said he never considered living anywhere else. “The positive influences of growing up here with family, friends, baseball, schools and community made me want to raise my family here,” he explained. Joe’s wife Maureen, who’s from Bucks County, agreed.
Joe went to St. Anastasia’s and Cardinal O’Hara. He played for Newtown Edgmont Little League (NELL) when, in 1967, his team played in the Little League World Series. He has since coached at NELL for over 30 years, primarily for the Challenger Division for players with special needs. Joe recently started an adult league where two of his special needs sons play every Sunday. Joe has also served on Newtown Township’s Zoning Board and the Board of Supervisors, and he’s currently Newtown Township Solicitor.
Joe and Maureen have four sons: Joey, Jimmy, Matt and Luke, all of whom continue to live here in Newtown Square. Joey and his wife, Sarah, bought a home near St. Anastasia, and enjoy life with their five rescue cats. Joey is a restaurant manager in Philadelphia, and Sarah is an EMT for Marple Township.
Joe and Maureen Catania with their family
Jimmy is a fitness fanatic and works out at Paul Bunyan Fitness in Newtown Square. He loves it so much that he also works there. He’s also the Assistant Coach for the NELL Kings in the Challenger Division for players with special needs, and is the catcher for the adult league baseball team started by his father.
Matt and his wife, Kelsey, are raising their three children nearby in Echo Valley. Matt and Kelsey met at law school in Naples, Florida. When it came time to settle down, Matt said that Kelsey fell in love with Newtown Square.
Their son Jack now plays tee-ball at NELL. Their daughter Eloise dances at From the Top, and they just welcomed their son Henry in July.
Luke is the youngest of Joe and Maureen’s children. Like his brother, Jimmy, Luke enjoys working out at Paul Bunyan Fitness. He also practices Karate at Level Up Black Belt Academy and has earned his black belt. Luke takes pride in his work at Woofies in Media, where he makes dog biscuits for animal shelters.
Ann and Jim’s son John and his wife, Mary Beth, have enjoyed raising their four children in Newtown Square. They love that three of their four grown kids are raising their own families within miles of each other. Their daughter Ann Marie and her husband Steve recently welcomed their first son, Steven, who’s now 11 months old.
John and Mary Beth Catania with their family
John and Mary Beth’s daughter Kelly Ann and her husband Kyle are just beginning their lives together. “We got married at the Ballroom at Ellis Preserve, bought our first home here and just welcomed our baby girl, Natalie,” Kelly Ann said.
John and Mary Beth’s twins, Julie and John Jr., loved growing up so close to their grandparents. Julie is currently living in Florida but comes back to spend time with the family during the holidays.
John Jr. said that he and his wife, Colleen, decided to live in Newtown Square because they wanted their kids to grow up surrounded by their cousins, grandparents and great-grandparents. John Jr. is also a local business owner (Catania Masonry), and Colleen is a nurse at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). Together, they recently started a fundraising campaign after the loss of their infant son, James, this past summer.
Jim and Ann’s youngest is Jennifer. She and her husband, Otto, are raising their 16-year-old triplets here in Newtown Square. Ava, Otto Jr. and Allie are currently Juniors at Marple Newtown High School. Jennifer said that they moved back to Newtown Square from Ohio, to be closer to her family. She taught CCD at St. Anastasia for six years, and currently works in the Athletic Department at Villanova University. Her husband, Otto, must truly understand the importance of family because he wins the prize for the longest commute to work: He works for GM and travels to Ohio every single week!
Jennifer Catania with her husband Otto and their triplets
As you can imagine, the holiday season is a busy one for the Catanias. Although Jim and Ann’s daughter Deborah and their son James don’t live in Newtown Square, they are raising their families in nearby towns and are always there to celebrate the holidays.
Everyone agreed that gathering for the traditional Feast of the Seven Fishes on Christmas Eve is incredibly special. “We used to have a sit-down dinner, but as the family grew, we ran out of table space,” laughed Ann. “Now each family brings a dish and we celebrate by taking turns at each other’s houses.” But no matter where they celebrate, the feast wouldn’t be complete without Ann’s homemade crespelle (Italian crêpes) and her fried stuffed olives. Joe’s wife, Maureen, said that the stuffed olives are so delicious that when Ann makes them, she has to hide them until everyone arrives.
Spending time with the Catania family was an absolute pleasure. The genuine love that surrounds them is undeniable and impressive.
Jim, Ann and the entire Catania family: On behalf of your Newtown Square Friends & Neighbors, we thank you for sharing your story and wish you all a happy, healthy holiday season. Now if we only knew where Ann hid the olives!
The Catania Family
Do you know a Newtown Square family, individual or nonprofit group who should become known by our community? Make your nominations for upcoming feature articles by emailing your ideas to Sheila Turner Hilliard at STurnerHilliard@BestVersionMedia.com.
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