David F. Matash

David Frederick Matash, 88, of Berwick, died Saturday, January 25, at his home after a period of declining health.  

Born Jan. 23, 1937, in Berwick, he was the son of Nick and Mary (Hunchar) Matash.  

A graduate of Berwick High School’s Class of 1955, he went on to attend the Bailey Technical Schools in Saint Louis, MO, receiving a certification as a diesel mechanic on April 26, 1956. He honorably served his country in the United States Army from October 1956 to October 1959, employed as a boat mechanic in Sioux Ste. Marie, MI, and Bangkok, Thailand.  

He was employed by US Radium, and the Dept. of Labor & Industry, later renamed the Job Center, retiring from the latter as a manager in 2000.

 David was married to his devoted wife, Corrine (Fish) Matash for 41 years.  

David loved people. He always walked into a room ready to like whomever he met. He was always ready with a joke and a twinkle in his eye and was lovingly chided by his family for his colorful language and idiosyncratic pronunciation. To David, Nike would always rhyme with Mike. 

 He was a man of many hobbies, with a passion for music and an enthusiasm for playing bass, clarinet, and banjo. He also loved photography, running his own business, Cedar Arts Photography, in the 1970s and 1980s, with many photo credits in contemporaneous Press Enterprise issues, and many team photos of his beloved Berwick Bulldogs. He never let a family picnic go by without a group portrait, and those he left behind will always treasure that trait.  

David held a lifetime membership in West Berwick Hose Co. No. 1, and was member No. 001 of Berwick’s American Ukrainian Citizen Club. 

 David was preceded in death by two brothers: Myron Peter Matash and LaRue “Larry” Matash; as well as a sister: Marjorie Ann Matash. He was also preceded by a daughter, Pamela Boyer, and a grandson, Timothy Boyer. 

In addition to his wife, he is survived by five children, Lee, wife of Fred Yost, Kimberly, wife of Thomas McGaw, Jim McCoy and his wife, Kait, Michael McCoy and his wife, Donna Marie, and John McCoy; many grandchildren: Neil, Evan, Harrison, Aaron, Chad, Nicholas, Kevin, Kelsey, Michael, Robert, Julia, and Gillan, and many more great-grandchildren. He also is survived by many members of the Matash and Hunchar families.

 Arrangements are under the direction of Dean W. Kriner Inc. Funeral Home & Cremation Service, 325 Market St., Bloomsburg.