Al Katko

Al's parents Alex and Katerina Katko and his brother John Katko preceded him in death.  He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Elizabeth B. Katko, his children, Patricia (Jonathan) Walker, Steven (Dawn) Katko, Jennifer (Zephaniah) Kibler, Daniel (Lindsay) Katko and Thomas Katko Sr., his grandchildren, Jonathan Walker, Gregory Walker, Brittany Bouton, Tyler (Ben) Collins, Thomas “Tom” A. Katko, Elijah Kibler, and Thomas “Andrew” Katko Jr., great-grandsons Ian Sanders and Bodhi Walker, sister Cathyann (Edward) Swiderski, niece Lisa Roibal, nephew David Alimi, and many loving extended family members and friends.

He was born in Perth Amboy, NJ on March 8th, 1943.  His youth was highlighted by a love for sports and playing tuba in the high school marching band.  Following graduation from St. Mary’s High School, he joined the Navy in 1961 and was stationed in Charleston, SC where he met his sweetheart Elizabeth.  After his service in the Navy, he joined the Charleston Naval Shipyard in 1965 as an apprentice in the Sheet Metal shop where he went on to become the shop superintendent, making life-long friends in the process.  Upon his retirement in 1993, the shipyard commander presented him with a U.S. flag that flew at the shipyard.

Desiring to expand his service to the nation while still at the shipyard, he joined the SC Army National Guard in 1978 and rose to the rank of First Sergeant before retiring in 2000.

Throughout adulthood, sports was always a key component of his life.  He was a member of “The Yardbirds”, the infamous Charleston Naval Shipyard bowling team.  While also playing softball and golf, he found his true calling in sports - coaching.  He coached youth basketball and baseball teams at St. Andrews playground with each baseball season culminating in a trip to Atlanta to visit Six Flags and attend a Braves game.  A groundbreaking member and long-time director of the Athletic Association of St. Joseph, he coached women’s softball and many youth basketball and baseball teams with a focus on having fun and teaching fundamentals, not only of sport, but also of life.

He loved spending time with his family and friends playing cards, camping, renting beach houses at Folly, fishing, shrimping, crabbing, reading military novels and watching The Hallmark channel and his favorite TV show, NCIS.

Arrangements by James A. McAlister, 1620 Savannah Highway, Charleston. (843) 766-1365.