Community Mourns Death Of Longtime Belleair Mayor, Town Santa

BELLEAIR, FL — The community is mourning the death of the longtime mayor of Belleair who died Sunday evening.

Belleair Mayor Gary H. Katica, 87, died in his home surrounded by loved ones.

Katica served the Town of Belleair Commission for more than 20 years, making him the longest-serving mayor in Belleair history.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, and raised in Queens, New York, Katica served in the U.S. Air Force as a control tower operator in the Korean War from 1952 to 1956.

In 1957, he graduated from the Federal Air Traffic Academy in Oklahoma City and became an air traffic controller in the New York Center. From 1957 to 1962, Katica attended C.W. Post College on Long Island University on a basketball scholarship.

His public service began in the late 1960s when he served as a member of the planning and zoning board and the parks commission for Port Jefferson New York. He was later elected as a trustee and appointed police commissioner.

In 1979, Katica, his wife Mary and their two children, Harry and Irene, moved to Clearwater, and then to Belleair in 1984.

Katica was first appointed to the Town of Belleair Commission in 2000 and elected mayor in 2007, a position he retained until his death.

During his tenure as mayor, Katica led the town of Belleair through the renovation of the historic Belleview Biltmore Hotel into the Belleview Inn, the retention of the Belleair Police Department and the construction of the Dimmitt Community Center.

He served on the Belleair Civic Association and the town's finance and planning and zoning boards.

Katica was well-known for his daily support of the Belleair community through his regular walks in Belleair, his continual advocacy for infrastructure improvements, his efforts to build partnerships and relationships with neighboring cities, his support of sports leagues and special events, his commitment to supporting town staff and his long-standing role as Santa Claus each Christmas.

On his birthday Jan. 28, the commission declared Mayor Gary H. Katica Day and the community came together for a celebration.

Wearing commemorative T-shirts, staff, officials and residents were asked to share their thoughts on the mayor.

He is survived by his wife Mary, son Harry, preceded by his daughter Irene, and survived by four grandsons: Tyler, Michael, Nathan, Aaron and Gary Jr.

Funeral services are currently being arranged by the family. Additional information will be provided by Hubbell Funeral Home.