CATEGORY: Event TYPE: Obituary DATE: 10 Dec 2011 NOTE: LACONIA - Gary Mattila, 66, of Laconia, formerly of Webster, died December 10, after a courageous fight against cancer.
Son of the late Leo and Louise (Schremser) Mattila, of Webster, Mass., he was born in Boca Raton Fla., during his father's service in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
A career executive with General Motors North America, he retired in 2002, but continued to consult with GM and later American Suzuki Motor Co. until 2007.
He was a graduate of Bartlett High School and Nichols College.
He was an enthusiastic volunteer for Tony LaRussa's Animal Rescue Foundation from its founding in 1991, focusing his efforts on organizing and facilitating fundraising events.
His love for golf extended throughout his life, from early days at the Raceway and Nichols Country Club, to living on the Crow Canyon CC in Danville, Calif., to recent tee times at Laconia CC and rounds at many greens and fairways between. His golf interest may only have been eclipsed by his love of baseball, specifically the Oakland Athletics, St. Louis Cardinals and of course, secretly, the Red Sox. But most of all, it was his passion for direct interaction with people in business, sports, fundraising or daily contact with everyone he met that defined his life.
In addition to his wife of 38 years, Ila (Matteson), he leaves his brother Rick and his wife, Sharon, of Hull, Mass.; and niece Katie Mattila and nephew Kurt Mattila, both of Los Angeles, Calif.
A memorial service in celebration of Gary's life will be held on Friday, Dec. 16, at 11 a.m. at the Zion Lutheran Church in Oxford, Mass.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary's name may be made to the Animal Rescue Foundation (ARF), P.O. Box 30215, Walnut Creek, CA, 94598-9215, or to Community Health and Hospice, 780 N. Main St., Laconia, NH, 03246.
Wilkinson-Beane-Simoneau-Paquette Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 164 Pleasant Street, Laconia, is assisting the family with the arrangements. For more information and to view an online memorial go to www.wilkinsonbeane.com.
Published in Citizen on Dec. 13, 2011
- See more at: http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/citizen/obituary.aspx?n=Gary-Mattila&pid=155020835#sthash.sWp3SliS.dpuf PLAC: Laconia, NH