Charles Eugene Cataldo, Sr

Charles Eugene Cataldo, Sr., 97, of Huntsville, went to join our Lord and Savior on March 20, 2024, at his home on Monte Sano. Born in 1927 in Cardiff, Alabama to parents Anthony and Bertie Cataldo, Charles served in the Army Air force in WWII, stationed in Bremen Germany at the end of WWII. After his time in service, he returned to Alabama to attend college at the University of Alabama receiving a degree in Chemical Engineering. Upon graduation he began his professional career in 1950 with Tennessee Coal and Iron Company- U.S. Steel in Fairfield, Alabama. In 1951, he joined the Materials Branch of the Guided Missile Development Division of Redstone Arsenal, Huntsville, and transferred to NASA in 1960.

At Marshall Center, Charles specialized in the evaluation and testing of materials for rockets and spacecraft including research on the effects of low temp and hydrogen on materials. Serving in various technical positions with increasing responsibilities, he served as Deputy in Chief of the Center's Materials Division before becoming assistant director of the Materials and Processes Laboratory in June 1974 until his retirement from NASA in the late 80's. After retiring from Nasa he went to United Space Boosters, Inc. (USBI), where he retired again.

Charles has authored and co-authored numerous papers and publications and is a contributing author of the "Engineering Materials" section of the "Handbook of Astronautical Engineering", McGraw Hill, 1961, and the "Metals Handbook No.6, Welding and Brazing," ASM, 1971. For his contributions to the development of the Saturn launch vehicles he was awarded the NASA exceptional service medal in September 1969. For his accomplishments in the Apollo, Soyuz Test Project, a joint U.S./Russian Space endeavor conducted in 1975, he received the Yuri Gagarin Diploma, a Soviet Union Honor. Charles holds memberships in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, the American Society for Metals, and the Society of Aerospace Materials and Processes Engineers.

After his second retirement he enjoyed another career in camera repair and sales and was the camera expert writer for many camera collecting reference books. He also enjoyed many years as "Security" at his late son Charles Cataldo Jr's coin shop, Alabama Coin & Silver.

Charles was preceded in death by his parents, Anthony Cataldo and Bertie Fulmer Cataldo; his wife, JoAnn Jacks Cataldo; his daughter, Marla Cataldo Cassady; and his oldest son, Charles E. Cataldo, Jr.

He is survived by his son, Stephen Anthony Cataldo (Christy); his youngest daughter, Angela Pullen Atherton (John); grandchildren, Emma Ross Pullen, Shannon Maria Cataldo, and Winter Lynn Cataldo; many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren; two sisters, JoAnn Cataldo Mitchell (Jack) and Sharon Cataldo Reid (John); daughter-in-law, Rebecca Cataldo; as well as, many nephews and nieces.

Visitation will be from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. Sunday, March 24, 2024, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow at 2:00 p.m. Burial will be in Maple Hill Cemetery.