Harold Everett Mattern

Harold Everett Mattern, fondly known as "Matt", 97, of 35 Ellise Road, Storrs died peacefully at home on Friday, June 8, 2012, with his daughter and granddaughters at his side. He was born May 10, 1915, at home in Chaplin, CT, to August H. Mattern and Mabel (Spooner) Mattern. He spent most of his childhood in Mansfield, where he attended Grammar School and was a Life Scout and Assistant Scout Master in the Boy Scouts of America, Troop 32. He was a member of the 4H Sheep Club and Forestry Club. He attended Willimantic Trade School and graduated as a plumber. In 1933, he joined the Spring Hill Baptist Church in Mansfield. At the encouragement of his Boy Scout leader, he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1934, serving in seven camps in CT until April 1941. In May 1941, he joined the U.S. Army and served in Australia and New Guinea as a search light operator during World War II with the 208th Coast Artillery, Anti-Aircraft Battalion. He received an honorable discharge in June 1943. On October 23, 1943, he married Virginia James of Willimantic. In September 1943, he began a life-long career with the CT Park & Forest Commission, which later became the Department of Environmental Protection. From a skilled tradesman to a Forest Ranger, he retired as a Forester II in 1987 having worked in sixteen state forests and parks. The forest road at Nathan Hale Forest in Coventry is named "Matt Road" in his honor. He had a passion for his work in the forests and enjoyed great camaraderie with his co-workers. He was a member of the CT Forest & Park Association since 1948. He worked with the "Earth Team" at the Big E as a member for the USDA Soil Conservation Service. When he retired from State Service at age seventy-two, he began a new career - volunteering. And volunteer he did! He and his red truck could often be seen at the Windham Area Interfaith Ministries (WAIM) office, where he served as a delegate from the First Baptist Church of Mansfield. A former Executive Director of WAIM recalled how many times he arrived with his cheerful face and usual question, "Anything I can do to help?" In 1993, he received WAIM's Life-Time Volunteer Award for serving over 1,000 hours. He served on the Steeple Chase Bike Tour Planning Committee, lending his support, helping to mark the routes, and serving as a sag wagon driver. He served the American Cancer Society as a driver delivery coordinator for several Daffodil Festivals and Jail 'N Bails and logged over 10,000 miles as a volunteer driver for the Road to Recovery Program. He participated in numerous Relay for Life events as a bladder cancer survivor and understood the importance of helping others who were undergoing treatment. In his red truck, he could be seen transporting vegetables from his neighbor's garden in Eastford, and loads of bread from the Eastford Baptist Church to the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic. On October 25, 2001, after being nominated by a member of the Eastford Senior Citizens, Harold received the John E. Peck Community Service Award presented by the Senior Resources Agency on Aging "With sincere thanks for his exceptional dedication to his community by performing continued outstanding service to the elderly." In 1997, he was part of CPTV's documentary "When Disaster Struck Connecticut", sharing his knowledge of the hurricane of 1938 and the flood of 1955. He joined the CT State Employees Association in 1947 and served as a recruiter for the Retirees Chapter 408 of Counsel 400 from 1992 to 1997. He was a sixty-three-year member of the Masonic Fraternity, Eastern Star Lodge #44 A.F. & A.M., where he was raised in 1949. He was a Charter Member of the National Association of Civilian Conservation Corps Alumni (NACCCA), Chapter 147, Northeastern CT and a member of Chapter 130, North Central CT. He served as President of Chapter 170, North East States Museum in Stafford, CT, in 1995. Many of the items on display at the Museum in Stafford came from his own personal collection. He rejoined the First Baptist Church of Mansfield on Spring Hill in 1981, where he served as a deacon, usher, delegate to WAIM, and poured coffee for many church suppers. In 1965, he, his wife, and his daughter moved to a home on the Natchaug State Forest in Eastford. He lived there for forty years before returning to Mansfield to live with his daughter for the last seven years of his life. Grampy Matt was devoted to his family and a true gentle man. In his later years, he enjoyed spending time with his great-grandsons. He attended three Adult Day Care Centers: Woodlake at Tolland, Senior Care in East Hartford, and, most recently, Senior Moments in Tolland. His family is very appreciative and thankful for the care that he received from Mansfield Family Practice, especially Dr. Ken Dardick; his caregivers from Visiting Angels, in particular Karen Gokey and Heather Varle; from VNA East and from Hospice of Eastern CT, especially Tom Bergeron. He is survived by his daughter, Lee (Mattern) Edwards-Salina, his two granddaughters and grandsons-in-law, Lisa (Edwards) and Brian Reas of Colchester, and Wendy (Edwards) and Oliver Green of East Greenwich, R.I.; three great-grandsons, Brendan Everett Reas, Kevin James Reas, and Zachary Everett Green; two sisters-in-law, Hazel Rubins of Storrs, and Dorcas Mattern of Branford, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was predeceased by his wife of forty-nine years, Virginia (James) Mattern; his brothers, Kenneth Mattern and Wilfred Mattern; his sisters, Florence Gottier and Alice Hardy; and his two sons-in-law, Alfred N. Edwards, Jr. and Carl J. Salina. In the early 1950's, he helped to break ground for what would become Camp Wightman, a ministry of the American Baptist Churches of CT. Since then, four generations of his family have enjoyed Camp Wightman both as campers and as staff. He, himself, led many nature walks at Camp. A Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Harold E. Mattern will be held at Camp Wightman on Saturday, September 15th at 10:00AM. Memorial donations may be made to the American Baptist Churches of CT (marked in memory of Harold Mattern) and sent to Camp Wightman, 207 Coal Pit Hill Road, Griswold, CT, 06351. A private graveside service at the Storrs Cemetery will be held at the discretion of his family.