Condolence From: Rich Mattioli
Condolence: Good Morning Everyone, thank you all for coming.
The other day, while sitting in bed I was checking my text messages and scrolling Facebook. I was reading the numerous expressions of condolences, prayers, love and well wishes extended to my mom, my brother, my sister and I as well as our extended family.
As it is with facebook, I clicked on a motivational video and then ended up spiraling down a rabbit hole of sorts that led me to a video of Billy Crystal performing his most favorite skit called 15 rounds about the life of Mohammed Ali.
I started pondering the life of my father and I put a little something together that models the Billy Crystal skit, called “4 quarters…about the life of Richard Remo Mattioli” I am sure most of us present today are aware that my Dad had a very successful high school football career, hence the title of my summary of my dad’s life.
Quarter one begins like any other football game with the opening kickoff. The particular kickoff was received by Eva and Frank Mattioli in the form of their first child, my dad, Richard Mattioli a strappingly handsome red head. ( he asked me to say that). Like most quarters, this one starts slowly, the family begins on a journey, where they know not the outcome. The family grows and as the quarter comes to a close, my dad is surrounded by a loving brother, three adoring sisters and numerous Aunts Uncles and cousins. Now Richard Mattioli is a brother, a nephew, a cousin and as the catholic faith would have it, Remo as his confirmation name, after his Uncle. Back in the day when my father was a young child, family was everything and suffice it to say, with such a loving and large family surrounding him, he had the lead going into the second quarter.
As the second quarter begins, my dad enters high school. As with many people, this is the formidable years of our lives and really helps mold us as adults. My dad happened to attend his freshman year in south east catholic h.s., which would be renamed, bishop neumnn h.s. This school happened to be the same h.s. his father attended. Based on some old pictures, my dad wasn’t a big guy, but he played h.s. football. My father was blessed to have had a very successful football career during his h.s.years. While playing football for Bishop Neumann, he gained the nickname “Reds”. During the mid to late 1950’s, bobby socks, poodle skirts, turkey trots, pep rallies and H.S. football was all the rage. The stands for football games were packed. There were instances when my father was slow to get up after a tackle and the crowd started chanting “get up Reds, get up”. People came to see him play. My dad was becoming theeee guy and during one of those infamous weekly dances, met my mom, Carol. H.S. ends. Carol and Reds are starting a journey of their own. Their journey leads to marriage and my father gains additional names, husband, brother in law and son in law. As the second quarter winds down, my dad has a loving wife and a new family surrounding him. At this point he is building a substantial lead.
As any third quarter starts, the team with the leads tries to build on that. My mom and dad begin their most happy time of their lives. They start building their family. A son, Richard. A second son, Christopher. And bit later, a daughter, April (almost Heather). When April came along, my brother and I were thrilled. We had something soft, giggly and pliable to toss around. And we did literally. We used to wrap her in a blanket and swing her around until we were scolded to stop. Our family never wanted for anything, and had what we needed, a very modest, but exceptionally happy childhood. A new name is added, DAD. I began playing organized baseball, Chris began playing organized football (too much hitting for me). Remember when Chris put his pads on for the very first time? He was smacking his shoulders yelling, “I cant wait to hit somebody”. My mother was scared to death, my father was likely thrilled to death!! April began dancing and gymnastics with an occasional singing lesson. We were a very busy family. It was the greatest childhood we could have ever experienced. We all had that athlete in us, but my dad would always shake his head and say that april got the speed. As the third quarter winds to a close, I think we can all agree that the lead was extended.
Continuing to apply the pressure, team Mattioli builds the lead by increasing from 1 family to 4. My father’s pride in his family is hard to hide. He is forever proud of his sons, his daughter and his Great Eight, his 7 grandchildren and 1 great grand child, each different in their own way but all equally loved by Gramps whose name evolved to Pop. He was everywhere he needed to be, soccer games, hockey games, birthday parties, dance recitals, shows, regattas, nerf wars. He was there, he cheered, he participated, he was the man. And let’s not any of us forget the back rubs. Pop, gramps, my dad had the best hands for a back rub and his back rubs were healing for any ailment, the answer to a broken heart, a bad test score, you name it, it worked. He loved everyone unconditionally.
Before the game ends, I must add that my dad had many friends over the years. Through each phase of his life, those friends changed as is the same for most of us. Childhood friends, H.S. friends, couples friends, kids friends parents and so on. His friends became my friends, he was always so proud to introduce his children or grandchildren to a friend of his. He was a very well liked man. He was very lucky to have had so many caring people, close friends around him. I think, that of all the things I learned from my father, the one that hits home the hardest and suits his life the best was to surround yourself with people who care, good people, smart people, loving people. Treat them the way you want to be treated.
In the end, during the closing minutes of the game, the man named, Richard Remo Mattioli, son, brother, nephew, cousin, husband, brother in law, son in law, friend, dad, uncle, gramps and pop began to tire. When he needed help crossing the goal line of life, all those close to him ensured he got that final touchdown.
He will always be a winner in my mind!
Tuesday July 24, 2018
