Gary W. Matus

Gary W. Matus spent his life doing as he pleased at every opportunity. For Gary, that typically meant doing for others – from his career as a schoolteacher, coach, and counselor, to various handyman projects, to his favorite role as doting grandfather. A former longtime resident of Rockford, Illinois, he died unexpectedly June 22 in Goodyear, Arizona, at age 72.

“No one could tell Gary Matus what to do,” noted his wife of 50 years, Patti Matus. That was true not only of how he did his day job and helped raise their kids Jim and Elizabeth, but also the way he approached competitive bodybuilding, restored furniture, made his own fly-fishing flies, took his young granddaughter on unlimited ice cream dates, and filled the swear jar in advance.

Through it all, Gary could be counted on to offer a helping hand, an ear to bend, an encouraging word, a good-natured ribbing, or whatever was needed to lighten the load or the mood.

Born November 24, 1951, Gary William Matus was the oldest of five children – all boys – born to Edwin William Matus and Ida Theresa Dall’Osto Matus of Rockford.

Gary attended St. Anthony of Padua Grade School and Boylan Catholic High School. From an early age, he demonstrated an exceptional work ethic, including as a teen-age employee of Maria’s, a local Italian restaurant.

Gary earned an education degree from Illinois State University and added a master’s degree from Northern Illinois University. While a student at ISU in 1971, he met Patricia Agnes Belmonte at a party and immediately flirted with her. They wed on August 25, 1973 in Berwyn, Illinois, and made their home in Rockford.

In 1973, Gary joined the Rockford Public School District, where he taught middle school and fifth grade and coached football at Auburn High School. In 1982, he became a home school counselor, working in that capacity until retiring in 2007.

In 2014, Gary and Patti moved to North Fort Myers, Florida, near Gary’s brother Bill. Gary took advantage of the location to pursue his passion for fishing.

In 2020, Gary and Patti moved again, this time to the Phoenix, Arizona area, near Gary’s brother Tony and closer to their daughter and granddaughter in California.

Over the years, Gary enjoyed diverse activities including weightlifting, competitive bodybuilding, fishing trips, landscaping, remodeling projects, cheering on his kids in their soccer careers, and being the biggest possible champion of everyone he loved.

Gary was preceded in death by his parents. In addition to Patti, he is survived by son James William Matus, daughter-in-law Sarah Matus, and 3-month-old grandson Andrew James Matus of Staunton, Virginia; daughter Elizabeth Kathleen Dees, son-in-law Lawson Dees, and 5-year-old granddaughter Lola Belle Dees of El Segundo, California; four brothers, Terry Matus (Vickie) of Cape Coral, Florida, Mike Matus (Jeanne) of Caledonia, Illinois, Tony Matus (Colleen) of Machesney Park, Illinois, and Bill Matus (Denise) of Valencia, Spain; and many beloved nieces and nephews.

A visitation will be held July 13 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Fitzgerald Funeral Home, 1860 S. Mulford Road, Rockford. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Habitat for Humanity.