Albert Kachic

June 18, 1931 - February 5, 2019

Albert S. Kachic, 87, beloved husband of the late Sheila, cherished father of Leslie (Paul), Valerie Sawyer (Fritz) and Alan (Georgina) and devoted grandfather of Owen Sawyer, Beloved brother of Jean Paynter, of Goleta, California. Passed away Feb. 5 after a brief illness. As longtime Eastern Regional hydrologist for the National Weather Service, Al spearheaded the development of comprehensive flash-flood warning systems for the benefit of many. After his retirement, he traveled to Bangladesh under United Nations auspices to help craft flash-flood programs designed to save thousands of lives during monsoons. Al was a passionate member of the Huntington Historical Society, and helped organize the Huntington Militia for the U.S. Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, as well as Huntington’s 350th anniversary festivities in 2003. A labor of love for Al and Sheila was the decades they spent as volunteer docents giving demonstrations of 18th Century life for visitors to the historically restored Huntington Arsenal. As a young father, Al enjoyed taking his family on memorable camping trips to Yellowstone and Williamsburg, Virginia, and every Revolutionary War battlefield between Lundy’s Lane and Kitty Hawk. As a loyal Penn State grad, he was also a rabid Nittany Lions football fan. The family asks that donations be sent in Al’s name to the Penn State University Libraries (libraries.psu.edu/making-gift-libraries).