Angelo “Big Ang” Matz III, 65, of Port Jervis, NY, formerly of Lattimer Mines, Pa., passed away on Sept. 22, 2025 surrounded by the love of his family. He was born on July 26, 1960 in Hazleton, Pa.
To know Ang was to know strength, loyalty, and love that ran deep. He was tough on the outside, but those who knew him best understood he was a big softy at heart. He would always go to bat for the people he loved. Whether you called him Dad, Coach, Brother, Uncle, or Friend, you knew you could count on him.
Ang grew up in Lattimer Mines, Pa., with a love of sports and community that shaped the course of his life. He graduated from Lock Haven University in 1983, where his passion for sports and education came together in ways that would guide the rest of his life. After earning his degree, he dedicated his professional career to education, working as a special education teacher at Delaware Valley High School before retiring. In the classroom, just as on the field, he believed in kids before they believed in themselves and pushed them to realize their potential.
Alongside teaching, Ang spent 35 years as head softball coach at Delaware Valley High School. Under his leadership, the Warriors saw decades of success, but his true legacy was never measured in wins. It was in people. He guided players with toughness and heart, and he opened doors for countless athletes to continue their education and love for the sport. He also served as head cross country coach at Delaware Valley, where he carried the same commitment to pushing students to discover their strength and resilience.
In 1997, Ang co-founded the Tri-State Angels travel softball organization, which gave female athletes across the region opportunities to sharpen their skills, gain exposure, and play at the next level. For many families, the Angels became more than a team. It was a family built by Ang’s vision and dedication to the community and the girls who played.
At the center of everything in Ang’s life was his wife, Brigid. The two were best friends who shared more than three decades of marriage, love, and laughter. Together they built a home full of resilience, warmth, joy, and many dogs. They raised their four children as a team, celebrated milestones side by side, and faced challenges with the same strength and devotion that defined their partnership.
He was the proudest father of four children who were the center of his world: Eavan and her fiancé Josh Portman; Lia and her partner Mark Sefcik; Angelo and his wife Hannah Matz; and Rory and his partner Camryn Hay. Ang loved nothing more than being with his family, and he especially enjoyed watching his kids compete, from their earliest rec league days through college. You could always spot him off to the side, a cigar in his mouth, quietly taking it all in while bursting with pride. His pride in them was endless, and his love will live on through them.
In retirement, Ang embraced life fully. He and Brigid loved to travel and spend time exploring together. At home, he found joy on the golf course with his buddies, where their outings on what they proudly called the “Provisional Tour” were just as much about cold drinks and good times as they were about the game. He also found constant comfort and companionship in his two dogs, Lucy and Hazel, who were always by his side.
Angelo is survived by his wife and children; his sister Linda Awdakimow, and her husband, Edward; his sister-in-law, Emma Matz; his brother-in-law Gerald Gray and his wife Wina and many nieces, nephews, former players, and friends who loved him deeply. He was predeceased by his parents, Kathleen and Angelo Matz II, and his brother, Richard. He was also preceded in death by his father-in-law and mother-in-law, E. Arthur and Helen Gray.
A visitation will be held on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025 from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Inc., 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771
A Mass of Christian Burial will be on Friday, Sept. 26, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. in the St. Mary’s R.C. Church, 46 Ball St., Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771
Following cremation a burial of cremains will be in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Port Jervis, N.Y.
Memorial contributions: Angelo would have loved donations to be made to the Port Jervis Little League, P.O. Box 430 Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771.
Earmark donation towards Girls Softball/the financial assistance fund for families.
Arrangements by Gray-Parker Funeral Home, Inc., 100 E. Main St., Port Jervis, N.Y. 12771; 845.856.5191; www.grayparkerfuneralhome.com.