Dr. James Earl Cato passed away on December 17, 2022. He was born on September 3, 1943, in Boise, Idaho. He grew up in Quanah, Texas, and graduated from Quanah High School in 1961. He graduated from Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, with his Doctorate in Electrical Engineering. He married his best friend, Patricia “Patty” Lee Vaughan in Dallas, Texas, and they moved to Huntsville, Alabama in 1972 where he began working at Teledyne Brown Engineering. He worked there 50 years and 3 months until his retirement in August 2022.
In his spare time, he enjoyed making things out of wood. He played with the Huntsville Concert Band playing the clarinet for serval years. He loved watching the Dallas Cowboys and Texas Tech football games.
Survivors include his loving wife, Patricia Lee Cato; and three children, Tricia Ann Cato, Paul Christopher Cato, and Kimberly Gail Cato all from Huntsville. He loved his three beloved grandkids, Noah Michael Cato, Abigail Leeann Cato, and Natalie Marie Smith all from Huntsville. He was preceded in death by his parents, William Henry Cato and Edith Versa Cato both from Quanah, Texas, and his two baby sisters, Nancy Jane Cole from Amber, Oklahoma and Brenda Lee Cato from Lubbock, Texas.
Visitation will be from 12:30 to 2 p.m. on Wednesday, December 28 at Laughlin Service Funeral Home with a memorial service immediately following at 2. There will be a celebration of his life at Hilton Garden Inn, South Parkway, at 3:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity.
