Harry Johantgen

Harry "Hank" Larue Johantgen, 74, of San Angelo died on Wednesday, August 28, 2019 in San Angelo. Hank was born on August 16, 1945 in Bath, NY to Robert Johantgen and Audrey Hutchinson. He was the fourth of eight siblings, and was 12-years-old when his family moved to New Jersey. When he turned 19, he volunteered for the Army Security Agency and served from August 1964 - August 1968 with overseas stations in Ankara, Turkey and Cu Chi, Vietnam. He received the Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM) in 1967 and was honorably discharged in 1970. Hank was the first of his family to attend and finish college. He received his Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering technology and his Master's degree in mechanical engineering management technology from the New Jersey Institute of Technology. While on leave in 1965, he met Catherine "Cathie" Anne Pascucci at a USO dance in Boston, MA. Harry was smitten from the start, Cathie took a little longer to warm to him. Their differences were stark: he was 6' 4", she was 5' 0"; his family was large, Cathie had just one living sister. Nevertheless, Hank proposed marriage in 1967 and they were married a year later. Hank spent most of his career working for two companies, G.A. Kleissler in Edison, NJ from 1969 - 1983 and Ethicon, a division of Johnson & Johnson, in Sommerville, NJ and San Angelo, TX from 1984 - 2010. Hank was an avid mechanic and spent much time fixing and building cars and engines of all types. He had a lifelong love affair with Shelby Cobras and eventually built his own version from a kit using a Ford Mustang engine. He was also an avid and early computer engineer, who built his own terminal with a work intranet connection in 1980. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Catie Anne Johantgen in 2002. He is survived by his wife, Catherine Anne Johantgen, of San Angelo; his son Edward J. Johantgen, his wife Katrina M. Johantgen and their three sons, Benjamin, Nathaniel, and Ian of Los Angeles; his daughter Julie Johantgen, her husband Kenneth W. ReCorr and their son Cole R. Lais of Brooklyn, NY; and his son Christopher R. Johantgen of San Angelo, TX. Hank's family would like to thank the loving and hard-working staffs of The Springs, Solaris Hospice of San Angelo, and San Angelo Home Health. A remembrance gathering is to be held from 6:00 - 9:00 PM on September 20, 2019 at the Southland Arms Apartments Club Room at 2618 Briargrove Lane, San Angelo. Donations can be made to The Fisher Center for Alzheimer's Research Foundation at https://www.alzinfo.org/memory-wall/Harryjohantgen/