Jeffrey Catanzaro Obituary

Jeffrey Catanzaro, 51, of Bluffton, South Carolina, passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on February 23 after a two-year illness.

Jeff was born on August 9, 1974, in Hackensack, New Jersey, to Benjamin and Sharon Catanzaro. The family moved from New Jersey to Texas and then to Spartanburg, South Carolina, where he spent many years competing in baseball, basketball, and soccer, and was a proud member of the Spartaquatics Swim Team. After spending two years in Germany with his family, he returned to Spartanburg for five years. He later moved to Basking Ridge, New Jersey, where he continued his love of sports, competing in baseball, basketball, and football until graduating from high school. It was during high school that he met his wife, Lindsay.

Jeff returned to South Carolina to attend Coastal Carolina University, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 1997. Jeffrey married Lindsay Mackay in May 2001 in Basking Ridge, New Jersey.

Jeff worked as a pharmaceutical sales representative for several companies and was based in South Carolina. After the birth of their sons, Erik and Davis, Jeff decided to become a baseball coach for his sons and other children in the community. Known as "Coach Jeff" throughout Bluffton and Hilton Head, South Carolina, he helped develop young athletes in recreation and travel baseball leagues.

His pastimes included spending time with family, caring for his dogs, cooking, playing golf, and cheering for the Atlanta Braves, Dallas Cowboys, and Miami Heat. His favorite athletes were Alonzo Mourning and Reggie Jackson. He also had a love for 80's hair band music especially Warrant.

Jeff is survived by his wife, Lindsay; his children, Erik, 22, and Davis, 20; his parents, Benjamin and Sharon; and his siblings, Dana Masters (son Jackson) and Steven Catanzaro (wife Cailin and sons Theodore and Griffin). He is also survived by four aunts and uncles, as well as ten cousins. One cousin, Ryan Hadrava, shared a particularly special relationship with Jeffrey.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Raymond and Lois Colbath, and Benjamin and Ida Catanzaro.

A memorial service will be held on March 29 at 1:30 p.m. at Lowcountry Community Church, 801 Buckwalter Parkway, Bluffton, SC 29910. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Jeffrey Catanzaro's honor to the Mourning Family Foundation, 100 S. Biscayne Blvd., Miami, FL 33131, or at mourningfamilyfoundation.org.