Paul Joseph Katich

Paul Joseph Katich, age 61, died on Monday, June 12, 2017 in Jacksonville, Florida. Paul grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and was stationed in England and San Antonio,Texas while serving in the U.S. Air Force, 1974-1978. After moving to Jacksonville in 1978, Paul completed and maintained his Journeyman license in HVAC while earning his associate of arts degree with honors from Florida State College. An entrepreneur, over the years he started, owned, and operated two separate businesses; One business was in the environmental controls field, and the other in handcrafted bonsai pottery.
Intelligent, inquisitive, and conscientious, Paul loved vegetable gardening, nature, travel, and “making things.” He excelled as an artist and craftsman in the fields of cabinet making, photography, bonsai, and bonsai pottery. In more recent years, he was recognized as one of the best American Bonsai Potters, with his work awarded and displayed in the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the United States National Arboretum.
Paul was preceded in death by his beloved daughter, Grace Theresa Katich. He is survived by his wife, Norine Daniel Katich; daughter, Kristina Noel Katich; four grandchildren, Antonia Katich, Michelle Shimp, Neil Shimp, and Nicholas Shimp; one great-granddaughter, Bonnie Rose Crowley; his mother, Barbara Koger; and siblings Gloria Green, Theresa Katich, and Blaze Katich. He was very loved, and will be dearly missed by all family and friends. The memorial will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, June 17, 2017 at The Garden Club of Jacksonville, 1005 Riverside Avenue, Jacksonville, Florida 32204. It will be an informal celebration of his life, where we hope his community will share their memories of him with each other. Memorial donations may be made in his name to the Public Broadcasting Service: www.pbs.org/foundation/ways-to-give/