Joseph Catlin Obituary

Joseph Clifford Catlin WESTBROOK, CT - Joseph Clifford Catlin, 73, of Westbrook, CT, passed away, surrounded by his daughters, Kelly and Kristina, on March 3, 2016, eleven years after first being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Joe was born in Edgewood Arsenal, MD on November 30, 1942. As a child, he was not expected to be able to learn to read. However with hard work, he graduated from Woodstown High School (NJ) and continued on to receive a BS in Chemistry from the University of Arizona and a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the University of Illinois. He then went on to Postdoctoral studies at Stanford Research Institute, Max Planck Institute, Saclay Nuclear Research Centre, and the Medical University of South Carolina. Joe worked as a synthetic chemist for Bayer for over 20 years. He enjoyed life and its many adventures, including traveling around the world, hiking, kayaking, backpacking, pottery and spending time with his daughters, sons-in-law, and five grandchildren. He was involved in his church and in Charleston Parks and Recreation, leading kayaking trips in the SC Lowcountry. Joe is survived by his siblings, Marjory Howe, Dan Catlin, and Ruth Catlin; his grandchildren; daughters; sons-in-law; and other family and friends. His parents, Willard Edwin Catlin and Ruth Louise Catlin, precede Joe in death. The family of Joe Catlin wishes to thank The Connecticut Hospice in Branford, CT, and Joe's caregivers, especially Ellen, Ken and Steve. A celebration of Joe's life is planned for later this year in Charleston, SC. Memorial donations may be made to The Nature Conservancy (4245 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 100, Arlington, VA 22203-1606, nature.org). Visit our guestbook at www.legacy.com/obituaries/ charleston