Joseph Kouten Obituary

Joseph W. Kouten, Jr. WADMALAW ISLAND, SC - Joseph W. Kouten, Jr., MD, 90, passed away peacefully on Monday, February 13, 2023. His Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:30 PM, Friday, February 17, 2023, at Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The Rite of Committal will follow in the Churchyard. The family will receive friends between 5:00 and 7:00 PM on Thursday at the James A. McAlister Funeral Home,1620 Savannah Hwy. Joe was born in New York City in 1932, the son of Joseph William Kouten and Bridget Connolly Kouten. Joe graduated from The Citadel ('54) and served in the U.S. Army. He received a Masters' Degree in Chemistry from Rutgers University, then earned his MD from Hahnemann (now Drexel) University. Joe served as a pediatric orthopedic fellow at Columbia University then practiced bone and joint surgery in New Jersey until his retirement. He specialized in sports related injuries. Joe also provided free surgical and medical services to Cerebral Palsy patients throughout his career and well into his retirement. Heartbroken by the Brooklyn Dodgers move to California, he adopted the New York Mets in 1961, and, for better or worse, raised his family to be Mets fans. He followed his beloved Mets 162 games a year and always looked forward to next season. He was an instrument-rated pilot, an amateur radio enthusiast, and an antique radio collector. Joe also loved restoring old cars. He bought, operated on, and brought back to life the oldest radios in the worst possible condition. He was a golfer, loved swimming laps, but would rather surf fish at Folly. Joe was a devout Catholic and a member of the Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Johns Island. He is preceded in death by his wife, Agnes; his parents, Joseph and Bridget Connolly Kouten; and his sisters, Joan Lantz and Barbara "Bobby" Burns. Joe is survived by his children, Joseph W. Kouten, III (Janet), Bridget Rosewitz (Alex), Peter A. Kouten (Callie), Patricia Kouten (Brendan), John F. Kouten (Sara), and Kathleen Kouten (Tim); grandchildren, Ashley, Emily, Peter, John, Madeline, Michael, Cassidy, Thomas, and Matthew; and great-granddaughter, Fiona. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to The Agnes L. Kouten '77 '85 Distinguished Endowed Bachelor of Science in Nursing Scholarship" at Monmouth University. Gifts may be made online at (www.monmouth.edu/JWKJr) or by check made payable to "Monmouth University" noting "Kouten" in the memo and mailed to Monmouth University, c/o University Advancement, 400 Cedar Avenue, West Long Branch, NJ 07764. Arrangements by James A. McAlister, Inc. (843) 766-1365. Visit our guestbook at legacy.com/obituaries/charleston