Jacob "Russ" Russell Matthias' Obituary
JACOB RUSSELL MATTHIAS BORN FEBRUARY 17, 1926 DECEASED NOVEMBER 5, 2016 JACOB WAS A WONDERFUL, LOVING, CARING, CHRISTIAN MAN WHO WAS DEVOTED TO JESUS AND HIS FAMILY. HE WAS BORN THE THIRD CHILD OF ROSE AND JACOB MATTHIAS IN HAYS PENNSYLVANIA. HE GREW UP WITH 2 OLDER BROTHERS AND 2 YOUNGER SISTERS: DOROTHY (VECCHIO) AND ROSEMARIE (SWABODA). HE QUIT SCHOOL AT THE AGE OF 16 AND WENT TO WORK TO HELP HIS FAMILY’S FINANCIAL SITUATION AFTER HIS FATHER PASSED AWAY. AT 17 YEARS OF AGE HE WAS DRAFTED INTO THE ARMY AS A SOLDIER DURING WW2 IN 1943, AT THE HEIGHT OF CONFLICT. TRAVELING FROM PARIS FRANCE TO AMSTERDAM AND SCOTLAND HE FINALLY WOUND UP IN ENGLAND WHERE HE BOARDED THE QUEEN MARY FOR NEW YORK HARBOR IN 1945. HE SAW MUCH ACTION DURING THE WAR AND RETURNED TO THE STATES TO BECOME A MILITARY POLICEMAN. AWARDS FOR HIS SERVICE INCLUDE THE BRONZE STAR WITH OAK LEAF CLUSTER AND THE COMBAT INFANTRYMAN BADGE. AFTER THE WAR, HE APPLIED AND WAS ACCEPTED FOR A POSITION IN THE HOMESTEAD STEEL MILL WHERE HE WORKED SWING SHIFTS FOR 38YEARS! IN 1950 HE MET AND MARRIED HIS BELOVED “EDNA BELLE LARAWAY.” THEY WERE TOGETHER FOR 65YEARS AND THEY WERE UTTERLY DEVOTED TO EACH OTHER. JACOB BECAME A 33RD DEGREE MASON AND EDNA WAS A MEMBER OF THE ORDER OF THE EASTERN STAR FOR LIFE. HE SERVED AS AN ELDER AT THE AMITY PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH IN DRAVOSBURG, PA AND ALSO VOLUNTEERED FOR THE LOCAL MEALS ON WHEELS FOR OVER A DECADE. HE LOVED THE OUTDOORS, TRAVELING WITH HIS WIFE IN THEIR RV AND TINKERING; HE BUILT HIS OWN KITCHEN CABINETS AND OTHER PIECES OF FURNITURE OVER THE YEARS. THEY RAISED 4 LOVING CHILDREN: EDNA BELLE MATTHIAS GRIMES THEIR ELDEST WHO HAS TWO CHILDREN; KELLY HEATH, HER CHILDREN: CHANDLER AND ALYSSA AND JESSIE WOLF AND HIS DAUGHTER LILLY. JOAN ELAINE MATTHIAS STEINDL WHO PRECEDED HIM IN DEATH; AND SON GREG AND HIS SON DAVID. RUSS MATTHIAS AND HIS WIFE GLORIA MOLNAR MATTHIAS, THEIR TWO CHILDREN MANDY AND HUSBAND MIKE MORTON, AND THEIR CHILDREN MICHAEL, HALEY, HAILEY AND PAYTON, SON SERGEANT MAJOR MATTHEW MATTHIAS AND WIFE NIKKI AND THEIR CHILDREN ALORA, AUBREY, AND SAVANNA. LORRAINE MATTHIAS MILLER AND HER HUSBAND JOHN AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN SARAH AND HER HUSBAND COURTLYN REEVES AND SON AUSTIN. JACOB WAS ALSO PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HIS BROTHERS EDWARD AND GEORGE MATTHIAS AND HIS MOTHER ROSE MATTHIAS. HIS BELOVED EDNA BELLE PASSED AWAY JUST LAST YEAR ON OCTOBER 29, 2015. HIS SONS –IN- LAW RANDY GRIMES PREDECEASED JACOB ON AUG 11, 2013 AND RICK STEINDL DIED IN MAY 2015. DAUGHTER JOAN DIED MAY 2005 AND HER SON ERIK PASSED AWAY IN 1997. WE WILL TRULY MISS OUR BELOVED FATHER AND GRANDFATHER AS HE WAS AN EXCEPTIONAL HUMAN BEING IN EVERY WAY.
VISITATION FOR RUSS WILL BE HELD ON MONDAY FROM 11 AM TO 2:30 PM AT THE JEFFERSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 301 CURRY HOLLOW ROAD PITTSBURGH PA 15236. A FUNERAL CEREMONY WILL TAKE PLACE IMMEDIATELY AFTER VISTIATION IN THE FUNERAL HOME CHAPEL. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS TO HOSPICE OF THE VALLEY OR MAPLECREST NURSING HOME ARE APPRECIATED.
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