Gordon (Matt) F. Mattzela moved on from this life to be with the Lord on Saturday, October 10, 2026. 

Gordon was born in Reed City on February 27, 1950, the 13th of 14 children.  He grew up in LeRoy and graduated from Pine River High School.  

After his graduation, he enlisted in the United States Air Force, where Gordon embodied the Air Force values of integrity first, service before self, and excellence in all things throughout his 36 years of service.  After his honorable discharge from active duty, he served as the Facilities and Maintenance Manager and leading the operations within the Vertical Shop on Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska.  To this day the base is covered with projects and proof of his skills and handiwork. You can find a retired airplane park that was designed by Gordy just before his retirement.

Matt spent his free time with his family enjoying the outdoors as he was an avid fisherman and hunter, who made sure to instill his love of the outdoors with his entire family.  There is no shortage of stories about giant record setting Moose, Caribou, Salmon, Northern Pike, Greyling, Bear, and Whitetail Deer.  He always had the largest catch, no matter who you asked.

After 36 years of supporting his country and family in Alaska, Matt retired from Eielson and relocated with Nancy and their three youngest daughters to LeRoy, Michigan near his childhood home.  For many years Matt was still working what some people would call a full-time job by building furniture, kitchen cabinets, tables, bread boxes, jewelry boxes, and wooden toys for his children, grandchildren, and whoever else Nancy volunteered him to build for.  He had a heart of gold and used his craft to the benefit of everyone around him.  Instead of chasing giant moose and monster salmon he spent the falls in a deer blind waiting for the perfect buck or in the rowboat on Rose Lake.  During the spring and summer, he would tend his garden and always had food for hummingbirds available.

Above all his crafts and hobbies, Gordie's greatest pride and joy was his family.  He leaves behind a legacy of love through his eight children and 16 grandchildren who will miss him dearly.

He is remembered by numerous family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents Matthew and Kathryn Mattzela and a daughter Bethany Mattzela.  He leaves a wife of 50 years, Nancy Mattzela, and eight children, Matthew (Lacey) Mattzela, Brandon (Mandy) Mattzela, Vance (Alex) Mattzela, Bradley Mattzela, Abbey (Joseph), Kimberly (Ethan) Russell, Elizabeth (Richard) Woolston, and Meredith Mattzela.  Additionally, he is loved and missed by 16 grandchildren, Kori (Matthew), Natalie (Brandon), Gabriel, Faith, Walter, Theodore (Vance), Tessalyn, Mikaela (Abbey), Mason, Weston, Avari (Kimberly), Leland, Brynlee, Emmersyn (Elizabeth), Amelia and Aria (Meredith). 

Matt's body will be laid to rest with military honors in the Maple Hill Cemetery, in LeRoy, on Saturday October 17, 2026 at 11:00 am. 

A public visitation with the family will be held at the Pruitt-Livingston Funeral Home in Reed City on Friday, October 16, 2026, from 5-7pm; and a Celebration of Life service will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday, October 17, 2026, at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Cadillac, with a luncheon following for friends and family.  

In lieu of donations and flowers, the family is asking for your generosity to be donated in his name to support research into the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, at the Alzheimer’s Association www.alz.org.