BRAZOS COUNTY, TX. (THECOUNT) — Sammy Catalena, Brazos County Commissioner and local entrepreneur, has died Tuesday, according to family members. He is 72.
Catalena was at his home Tuesday with his wife by his side when he passed away Tuesday.
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Catalena was the owner of Catalena Hatters and the Texas Rose Boutique, the Sammy Catalena Rodeo and Livestock Company, and a ranching operation. He served as Precinct 2 Commissioner since January 2011.
Via KBTX:
Sammy Catalena was deeply committed to his community and to agriculture. He served as vice-chairman of the board for the Producer’s Cooperative Association and president of the Bryan Breakfast Lions Club, of which he was a charter member. He also served a as a board member of the Brazos County Farm Bureau, the Farm Service Agency Committee, and as chairman of the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Contest Committee.
Catalena founded the Sammy Catalena rodeo company in 1975. It gained worldwide recognition in part because of his Catalena Cowgirls. He began recruiting for the rodeo staple in the early 1990s, and for nearly a decade beginning in 1996, the Catalena Cowgirls opened every Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The well-known paint horse and cowgirl team performed nearly 200 times at the Houston Rodeo, along with performances around the world. The Cowgirls still perform at special events across the country and remain well-known in the equine community.
Catalena and his wife Carolyn opened Catalena Hatters in downtown Bryan in October of 1983. The shop specializes in custom hats and felt hat renovations. Their Texas Rose Boutique, located next door, specializes in western apparel, jewelry, and home decor.
Catalena is survived by his wife Carolyn and three sons, Travis, Scott and Clay, as well as several grandchildren. Arrangements are pending with Hillier Funeral Home in Bryan.
A cause of death was not provided.
DEVELOPING::
Geo quick facts: Brazos County is a county located in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 census, its population was 194,851. The population estimate as of July 2018 was 226,758. The county seat is Bryan. Along with Brazoria County, the county is named for the Brazos River, which forms its western border – Wikipedia.