Edward W. Mattos ’55, age 83, died in Rocklin, California, on Feb. 2, 2015, after a short illness. Born Oct. 6, 1931, in French Camp, California, he lived in Gilroy before settling in Rocklin.
He was a graduate of Antioch High School and Santa Clara University. He is survived by his wife, Norma Gonsalves, his children, Michael, daughter-in-law, Kris, Peter, Annie and Paula, six grandchildren and sister, Angie Hernandez. He is preceded by his first wife Maryann Mattos of Gilroy, California.
His pride and love for SCU was unsurpassed in his life, other than the love he had for his family. He lived the values SCU embraced: family, loyalty, community, and laughter. He was raised without a father but worked his way through SCU along with help from his mom who worked at a canning factory to help him out.
He became a hospital administrator in Gilroy for 17 years and raised four kids who love him dearly. His goodness, kindness and ethics will define him forever and will be a beacon daily for us to all follow. He was interned with his first wife, who died 20 years ago, at Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose. His new wife, Norma, was present to pay tribute to his love for his family and her. He was truly amazing and will be missed dearly.
Ed Mattos was the living personification of morals and compassion. He persevered through every hardship life threw his way. He was a hospital administrator, a restaurant owner, a realtor, and for his grandkids, a pirate and partner in crime. He was the type of person who always put others first and found a way to make anyone smile & laugh. He was the type of father who flew his daughter to Lake Tahoe at fifteen to see Olivia Newton John in concert and then waited outside in the cold until 4am just so she could meet her.
Over the last few months, he was dealt his biggest challenge yet, after suffering a stroke, heart attack, and going into diabetic shock all in one night. And through all that, he refused to let it knock him down. Staying as stubborn as ever, sometimes much to his children’s dismay. He always found a way to make the nurses smile and his visitors experience a few fits of dying laughter.