DENNIS RAY MATHY

December 19, 1948 - June 2, 2020

The world has lost a hero. Dennis R. Mathy, 71, of Kinsman, formerly of Garrettsville, passed away on Tuesday, June 2, 2020, at home surrounded by his loving family after a battle with lung cancer, caused by Agent Orange while he was in the military. He was born December 19, 1948, in Ravenna, Ohio to Kenneth and Mildred (Harris) Stafford. Denny was a 1967 graduate of James A. Garfield High School. Denny was proud to have served his country in the United States Army (Infantry Recondo) and was a combat veteran who received the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Bronze Star with Valor, Vietnam Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with Valor, the Air Medal and a Purple Heart. He was a proud lifetime member of the National Rifle Association, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the Disabled American Veterans and Military Order of the Purple Heart. He retired from Delphi Packard in 2008, and held 2 journeyman cards. He built and designed machinery for plastic processing equipment. Many of his coworkers and family would often comment how machines and equipment seemed to speak to him; sometimes even calling him the Dr. Doolittle of machinery. Denny enjoyed woodworking and traveling to Canada to fish when he was younger. He loved spending time at Hickory Hollow with his lifetime friends and family. Car-tinkering was a passion that was further fueled by his love of car racing, swap meets, and car shows but ultimately his favorite pastime was being with his wife and two daughters, who were his world. Denny will be deeply missed by his loving wife Mara (Schmidt) Mathy whom he married December 5, 1987; daughters, Katrina Mathy of Lancaster; Pa and Madison Mathy of Kinsman; step siblings Ken (Gerry) Stafford of Kinsman Oh, Jim (Patty) Stafford of Orangeville Oh, Bill (Carolyn) Stafford of Florida and Gladys (Jim) Baldwin of Garrettsville and many friends. Please join Denny's family for a public visitation on Friday, June 5, 2020, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Mallory-DeHaven-Carlson Funeral Home & Cremation Services 8382 Center St. Garrettsville, OH 44231. A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, June 6, 2020, at 1:00 PM also at the funeral home. Burial will follow at Park Cemetery with Military Honors. We will encourage social distancing guidelines and ask guests to wear masks and respect others boundaries. Memorial contributions may be made to Dissabled American Veterans https://www.dav.org/ways-to-give/ or Military Order Of The Purple Heart https://www.purpleheart.org/