Frank Catania

Mass of Christian Burial for Frank M. Catania, 66, Edwardsville, will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 11, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Shawnee. After lunch is served, military graveside services with full honors will be at Leavenworth National Cemetery, Leavenworth.
Mr. Catania died Wednesday, Dec 3, 2008.
He was born July 31, 1942, in Rocky Hill, Conn., the son of Mary and Tom Turner.
As a young man, he was a cross county running champion. Mr. Catania was in the K-9 Corps during Vietnam and was awarded a Bronze Star for his work with dogs.
After leaving the Army in 1968, he started Mid-West K-9 Training Estates in Edwardsville, where he spent the rest of his life developing a new breed of dog. He is recognized as the founder and developer of the American Tundra Shepherd.
A partial list of Frank’s achievements include: chief Army K-9 instructor and veterinary technician; vice president and state agent for the Humane Societies Inc.; director, Edwardsville Animal Control; originator, Guard Dog Rental Services, Kansas City; Boy Scout counselor for dog training and veterinary technicians; adviser to the Kansas Legislature for House Bill 2900, Vicious Dog Act; founder and president, Global Kennel Club; director, American Mixed Breed Kennel Club; city and county Humane Society officer; former president, Humane Society of Greater Kansas City; member, Humane Society of America; K-9 chief instructor, Burlington Northern, Santa Fe and Frisco railroads; trainer of tracking dogs used by police departments; chief training instructor of the K-9 Demonstration Teams for the Army at Ft Benning, Ga; supervisor, K-9 demonstration teams; training director, Catch-All animal control classes; trainer of dogs for the handicapped and hearing impaired; licensed professional chief instructor, show judge and breed warden; co-author, FM20-20 Army War Dog Training Manual, 1967 issue; president, American Tundra Shepherd Club; and president and founding member, Greater Kansas City Working K-9 Club.
Survivors include his constant companion and the love of his life, Rosemary Ryan; a brother, Dr. Robert Catania; a sister, Geri Stroh.
Visitation will be from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Dec 10, at Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee, 10901 Johnson Drive, Shawnee.
The family suggests memorials to American Tundra Shepherd Foundation, 11121 W. 109th Terrace, Overland Park, KS 66210.
Online condolence can be left at amosfamily.com.
Arr.: Amos Family Chapel of Shawnee.