Submitted by: Dan Rich
Antonio (Tony) Catanzarite
Jan. 1, 1903 - July 9, 2005
South
Bend Tribune 7/11/2005
Antonio Catanzarite, 102, of East Grove Street, Mishawaka, passed away at 12:05 a.m. Saturday, July 9, 2005. in Our Lady of Peace Hospital in South Bend.
He was born in 1903 in Plati, Italy to Rossario and Elizabeth (Zappia) Catanzarite who preceded him in death. In 1921, he immigrated to the United States and settled in Danville, Indiana and stayed with his cousin there. After he worked with his cousin for a few years, he moved to Indianapolis where he had a shoe shop on Tenth Street.
Within his first year in the United States, he and his cousin traveled to Mishawaka, where he met his beloved Anna. After a year, they married and were together for seventy-six years, until her death on October 31, 2002. Also preceding him in death were his brothers; Dominic, Joseph, and Rocco, all of Plati, Italy; Frank of Mishawaka; and two sisters, Rose Rinaldo and Mary of Italy.
Eventually, he moved to Mishawaka where they raised a family of three boys and one girl. Tony remembered taking the street car to the Washington shoe repair shop in South Bend. He ended up managing several shops in the basements of a couple of South Bend's famous department stores before finally opening up his own shop in a store front attached to the side of his Cedar Street House. At 102, the need to work hard was not necessary. He just needed enough work to keep him busy. He returned to Italy in 1954 to visit his mother. This was the only time he returned to his homeland. Always having the interest of his customers in mind, he always gave good advice if a pair of shoes were worth fixing. Having had many shoe shops in Mishawaka and South Bend, he was well known. Sitting in front of his shoe shop on Cedar Street, people would always wave at him and say "Hi Tony." When he would go to eating places, there was always someone there who would say "Hi Tony, you fixed a pair of my shoes 35 years ago." Tony had repaired shoes for over 80 years. He will be dearly missed not only by his family, but all his friends.
Tony is survived by his children, Elizabeth (Alfio) Piraccini of Mishawaka, Joseph (Mary) Catanzarite, Frank (Kay) Catanzarite and Ross Catanzarite, all of Mishawaka; a sister, Anna Catanzarite of Rome, Italy; 14 grandchildren; 34 great-grandchildren; and four great great-grandchildren.
He was one of the founding members of the Diloreto Club and also was a member of the De Amicis Club.
A Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10 a.m. Tuesday in St. Monica Catholic Church, Mishawaka.
Friends will be received from 2 until 8 p.m. Monday in Bubb Funeral Chapel North, 3910 North Main Street, Mishawaka. A Rosary will be said during the visitation.
Burial will follow the services at Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens.
The family has requested that memorial contributions be made to the Alzheimer's Association of Northern Indiana, 922 E. Colfax Ave., South Bend, Indiana 46617, in lieu of flowers.