Patrick “Pat” Catenazzo, 94 of Chesterton, IN, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by loved ones on Tuesday, January 20, 2026. He was born February 9, 1931, in Gary, IN, to the late Jerry and Lena (Portugallo) Catenazzo. Pat proudly served in the United States Army from 1952-1954, where he was stationed in Okinawa, Japan during the Korean Conflict. He went on to a career as a Crane Operator with US Steel for 42 years before retirement. Pat enjoyed spending time with his beloved family, tending to his vegetable garden, and watching the traffic go by from his garage, waving to everyone as they passed. Pat will be remembered as a hardworking man with a strong-willed spirit. He will be dearly missed by those who knew him.
On July 2, 1954, Pat married the love of his life, Theresa Wiechnik, who preceded him in death in 2016. He is survived by their children: Debbie (Les) Turner of Arizona, Patty (Gene Falkowski) Gutowski of Chesterton, and Jerry (Barbie) Catenazzo of Valparaiso; granddaughters: Shawna (Rick) Smith of DeMotte, and Kristyn (Troy Street) Gutowski of Utah; and sister, Catherine “Tweety” Schutz. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter, Shannon Galloway; son-in-law, Tom Gutowski; and brother, Art Catenazzo.
A Memorial Visitation will be held on Monday, February 2, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 638 N. Calumet Rd., Chesterton, IN, with Funeral Mass beginning at 10:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Porter County Veterans Service Office, 155 Indiana Ave., Suite 109, Valparaiso, IN 46383.
