Obituary for Robert W. Catzen
“Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty well-preserved body, but rather, to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming:
‘WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!’”
Bob Catzen, who spent his entire life working, playing, laughing and loving with total abandon, finished the process of wearing out his body on March 11, 2023.
Bob was born on June 12, 1928, the second child of Hortense Bowman Catzen and Bertram Harry Catzen. He grew up in the Mount Washington neighborhood, across the street from Pimlico Race Track. He attended local public schools (Arlington Elementary #234, Garrison Jr. High School, Forest Park High School) before transferring to Friends School for his junior and senior years, graduating in 1946. He also attended the University of Virginia. He met his wife, Penny, at her brother’s wedding in June 1951; he proposed to her on their second date, and they were married January 4, 1952.
As a youth, Bob played football, lacrosse, ice hockey, tennis and skied. His senior year at Friends School, the football team – which, due to WWII, had only 11 starting players, thus requiring all to play both offense and defense for every game – was the Co-Champion of the Inter-State Athletic Conference (IAC) in 1945 (notably sharing the honor with Sidwell Friends, the only other co-ed school in the league). As a freshman in college, he convinced the UVA athletics director to start a
lacrosse program, using welders’ gloves, football helmets, and football jerseys for their equipment until the proper gear could be acquired. As the team’s goalie, he set (and still holds) the school record for the most saves in a single game (35); in typical Bob fashion, he always noted that all one needed to achieve this feat was a particularly leaky defense.
In 1948, after two years at UVA, Bob went to work full-time for the family business, the Baltimore Box Company. He had worked summers at the box company since his childhood, and understood the business from top to bottom. Always a problem solver, he invented and holds patents for two machines (dye washer and perforator) that are still used in paper box manufacturing. He was President and CEO of the company from 1959 until 1962, when he left manufacturing to form Dalsemer Catzen & Associates, a consulting company to advise paper converting industries. He was President and CEO of DCA from 1963-1991, during which time the company expanded their scope of work to include plant and office layouts, materials handling, product mix studies, organization structures and construction management. He also became involved in real estate development during the late 1980’s; he continued to work and actively served as President of RCManagement Company until shortly before his death.
Bob was a life-long Baltimorean, and an active and enthusiastic participant in all manner of community endeavors. Over the course of 70 years, he served on a multitude of local boards of directors, including the Baltimore Jewish Community Center, Medical Eye Bank of Maryland, Greater Baltimore Committee, Associated Jewish Charities, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Corpus Christi Church Historic Preservation Committee, Maryland School for the Blind, Central Maryland YMCA, Center Club of Baltimore, City of Baltimore Chamber of Commerce, Bolton Hill Swim & Tennis Club, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, Beth Am Congregation, The Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary,
Cotton Patch Hills Community Association, and most recently, the Roland Park Place Residents’ Association.
Bob was a natural athlete and played as hard as he worked. While he enjoyed land sports such as tennis, skiing, and hunting, he was happiest on the water with a stiff wind. He owned many sailboats over the course of his life, starting with a sailing dinghy (the BobCat), which was replaced in time with larger sailboats (the Hero, the PennyWise I, and PenyWise II), which he enjoyed racing on the Chesapeake Bay and sailing on long trips up and down the eastern seaboard between Maine and Florida. After many decades of weekends “on the boat,” in deference to Penny, he sold his last boat, and at the age of 57 took up the sport of windsurfing. He was a charter member of the Baltimore Area Boardsailing Association, and was usually the oldest sailor on the club’s twice-yearly trips to Avon, NC. No fair weather surfer he, Bob could be found on a river or a bay near Baltimore, in his wetsuit on his board in the dead of winter, which he said he always enjoyed as long as the water body wasn’t frozen. He gave up windsurfing at the age of 87, in order to avoid – in his words – becoming “an event on the water.” He replaced his windsurf boards with a kayak, which he dubbed “Denial.” He kept up the kayaking with Blazer through the summer of 2022, and was looking forward to buying himself a new kayak in 2023, one with a larger cockpit to accommodate his arthritic, 94-year old knees. He was easy to spot in the summer with his kayak atop his Subaru.
Above all, Bob loved his family. About his marriage to Penny, he would say every year at their anniversary that they were still in a trial period, and that so far, it looked like the relationship would stick. He was a fun and funny guy, and great father to his children, Meg and Blazer, with whom he never hesitated to share his perspective and advice, whether solicited or not (especially when it was not). He was the world’s
greatest grandfather to his grands, Erin, Hannah, Nellie and Bert, sharing his wisdom, love of sports, music and life with them. He regaled everyone with his funny stories, provided endless encouragement to all, and was an eternal optimist. Bob was one in a million, and he will be sorely missed by his family, many friends, and business associates.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
‘WOW, WHAT A RIDE!!!’”
Bob Catzen, who spent his entire life working, playing, laughing and loving with total abandon, finished the process of wearing out his body on March 11, 2023.
Bob was born on June 12, 1928, the second child of Hortense Bowman Catzen and Bertram Harry Catzen. He grew up in the Mount Washington neighborhood, across the street from Pimlico Race Track. He attended local public schools (Arlington Elementary #234, Garrison Jr. High School, Forest Park High School) before transferring to Friends School for his junior and senior years, graduating in 1946. He also attended the University of Virginia. He met his wife, Penny, at her brother’s wedding in June 1951; he proposed to her on their second date, and they were married January 4, 1952.
As a youth, Bob played football, lacrosse, ice hockey, tennis and skied. His senior year at Friends School, the football team – which, due to WWII, had only 11 starting players, thus requiring all to play both offense and defense for every game – was the Co-Champion of the Inter-State Athletic Conference (IAC) in 1945 (notably sharing the honor with Sidwell Friends, the only other co-ed school in the league). As a freshman in college, he convinced the UVA athletics director to start a
lacrosse program, using welders’ gloves, football helmets, and football jerseys for their equipment until the proper gear could be acquired. As the team’s goalie, he set (and still holds) the school record for the most saves in a single game (35); in typical Bob fashion, he always noted that all one needed to achieve this feat was a particularly leaky defense.
In 1948, after two years at UVA, Bob went to work full-time for the family business, the Baltimore Box Company. He had worked summers at the box company since his childhood, and understood the business from top to bottom. Always a problem solver, he invented and holds patents for two machines (dye washer and perforator) that are still used in paper box manufacturing. He was President and CEO of the company from 1959 until 1962, when he left manufacturing to form Dalsemer Catzen & Associates, a consulting company to advise paper converting industries. He was President and CEO of DCA from 1963-1991, during which time the company expanded their scope of work to include plant and office layouts, materials handling, product mix studies, organization structures and construction management. He also became involved in real estate development during the late 1980’s; he continued to work and actively served as President of RCManagement Company until shortly before his death.
Bob was a life-long Baltimorean, and an active and enthusiastic participant in all manner of community endeavors. Over the course of 70 years, he served on a multitude of local boards of directors, including the Baltimore Jewish Community Center, Medical Eye Bank of Maryland, Greater Baltimore Committee, Associated Jewish Charities, Sinai Hospital of Baltimore, Corpus Christi Church Historic Preservation Committee, Maryland School for the Blind, Central Maryland YMCA, Center Club of Baltimore, City of Baltimore Chamber of Commerce, Bolton Hill Swim & Tennis Club, Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, Beth Am Congregation, The Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary’s Seminary,
Cotton Patch Hills Community Association, and most recently, the Roland Park Place Residents’ Association.
Bob was a natural athlete and played as hard as he worked. While he enjoyed land sports such as tennis, skiing, and hunting, he was happiest on the water with a stiff wind. He owned many sailboats over the course of his life, starting with a sailing dinghy (the BobCat), which was replaced in time with larger sailboats (the Hero, the PennyWise I, and PenyWise II), which he enjoyed racing on the Chesapeake Bay and sailing on long trips up and down the eastern seaboard between Maine and Florida. After many decades of weekends “on the boat,” in deference to Penny, he sold his last boat, and at the age of 57 took up the sport of windsurfing. He was a charter member of the Baltimore Area Boardsailing Association, and was usually the oldest sailor on the club’s twice-yearly trips to Avon, NC. No fair weather surfer he, Bob could be found on a river or a bay near Baltimore, in his wetsuit on his board in the dead of winter, which he said he always enjoyed as long as the water body wasn’t frozen. He gave up windsurfing at the age of 87, in order to avoid – in his words – becoming “an event on the water.” He replaced his windsurf boards with a kayak, which he dubbed “Denial.” He kept up the kayaking with Blazer through the summer of 2022, and was looking forward to buying himself a new kayak in 2023, one with a larger cockpit to accommodate his arthritic, 94-year old knees. He was easy to spot in the summer with his kayak atop his Subaru.
Above all, Bob loved his family. About his marriage to Penny, he would say every year at their anniversary that they were still in a trial period, and that so far, it looked like the relationship would stick. He was a fun and funny guy, and great father to his children, Meg and Blazer, with whom he never hesitated to share his perspective and advice, whether solicited or not (especially when it was not). He was the world’s
greatest grandfather to his grands, Erin, Hannah, Nellie and Bert, sharing his wisdom, love of sports, music and life with them. He regaled everyone with his funny stories, provided endless encouragement to all, and was an eternal optimist. Bob was one in a million, and he will be sorely missed by his family, many friends, and business associates.
Contributions in his memory may be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.