Robert "Bob" Catchpole

Mr. Robert Catchpole entered peacefully into eternal rest on September 27, 2022 after a brief illness just past his 77th birthday. A native of North Rose, NY, had lived in Augusta since 1984 retiring as a letter carrier from the North Augusta Post Office after 42 years.

His life was filled with family, friends, and baseball. A star SS/2B on his Mynderse Academy HS baseball squad he helped the Seneca Falls nine win the 1961 Section 5 Class A state championship in Rochester’s Red Wing stadium and to a runner-up finish in 1962. His exploits did not stop on the field as he notably caught Roger Maris’s 52nd homerun ball in Yankee Stadium in September 1961 alongside his parents celebrating his 16th birthday. The ball is long gone, one of dozens over the years lost in the apple orchard behind the family home. The baseball and softball teams he played on and coached were well disciplined, fundamentally sound, and highly competitive. A self-declared baseball “lifer” he spent his retirement enjoying his prized “baseball room” and making one final pilgrimage to Cooperstown.

Bob headed south to Florida for college graduating from the Univ. of Miami, and later joined the U.S. Army stationed at Fort Gordon, GA where he met Yvonne on the softball diamond at Julian Smith Casino where their intense competitive and jovial spirits were an immediate match. After marrying in 1970 they settled in Miami for 14 years and have many fond memories and great friends. He joined the Miami Hurricanes’ athletic department as Asst. Director for Sports Information and later as Recreation Director for the City of South Miami. He was a pioneer of slow pitch softball in S. Dade County and was a charter member of the Homestead, FL Umpires’ Association. Beginning his career with the Postal Service in 1977, he previously served as president of the local American Postal Workers’ Union.

Bobby and Yvonne were longtime residents of National Hills and avid sport fans, they could be found over the years at Rhinehart’s, Somewhere in Augusta, Shannon’s and Wild Wing Café while watching multiple games and socializing with staff and friends. He was a member of the SC State Assoc. of Letter Carriers and received numerous awards notably haven driven 2 million miles without an accident. He was past president of the Westside HS Athletic Boosters Club and served on the board of directors of the National Hills Pool and West Augusta Little League.

He was preceded in death by his wife Yvonne of nearly 49 years, who sadly passed away in 2019, but who he will be reconnected with on the fields of heaven to enjoy eternity together. Also preceding him were his parents Reginald and Shirley Catchpole; sister and brother-in-law Lynda and Jim Schopfer; in-laws Leroy and Evelyn Eubanks; and sisters-in-law Cheryl Wellman and Debra Favors.

He is survived by his daughters Belinda Preddy and Amy Catchpole, of Augusta; son and daughter-in-law Dana and Ahneta Catchpole of Charlotte, N.C.; grandchildren Chandler, Sarah, McKenzie, Ryan, Callie, Miles, and Harper; brother and sister-in-law Terry and Catherine Catchpole of Wellesley, M.A.; sister-in-law Vicki Friedrichs (Fred) of Isle of Palms, S.C.; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Saturday, October 1, 2022 from 4:00 to 7:00p.m. Graveside services will be held Sunday October 2, 2022 at 11:00a.m. at Bellevue Memorial Gardens. Honorary pallbearers will be Phillip and Annette Dixon and Jeff Williams. The family wishes to recognize all his caregivers, but especially Ms. Shondra Johnson for her compassionate care in his final days.

An avid supporter and life member of the Baseball Hall of Fame, in lieu of flowers please consider making a memorial contribution at www.baseballhall.org.