Mattie P. deRoin

 Mattie was born to a family of ten children in the Bluegrass State of Kentucky in 1923. She grew up working on the family farm where she developed a lifelong love of animals, especially horses. In addition to her hard work on the farm, Mattie excelled academically, graduating high school early. 

After graduating from St. Joseph School of Nursing in Louisville, she joined the U.S. Army as a Nurse; all of her brothers were serving, and she felt that if she could not directly take care of her own brothers, she could at least care for other people's brothers. She left active duty for reserve status in 1946, transitioning from the Army to the Air Force upon its founding in1947.

While on reserve status, Mattie and her husband were stationed all around the country, but eventually chose to settle in Colorado. 

At the home in Lakewood where she resided until her death, Mattie raised her three children, April, Suzanne, and James. In 1955, Mattie was honorably discharged from the Air Force reserves and subsequently worked at the Newborn Nursery of Saint Anthony's Hospital. Mattie loved  her work in the  nursery with the newborns, saying they were “so sweet and so nice to take care of while they're here.” After 28 years of dedicating herself to the the the tiniest babies, her beloved premies, Mattie retired but continued to care for infants – only now, the infants were her own grandchildren. Cameron (Meagan), Andrew, and Colton (Mia) kept her young at heart, and she enjoyed many years of family time and travel with her children and grandchildren. 

Mattie passed away peacefully, surrounded by family, at the age of 100, survived by her children, grandchildren, and her nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held Tuesday, January 30, 2024, 4pm-7pm, Horan & McConaty Family Chapel, 3101 S. Wadsworth Blvd., Lakewood. Private service will be held and private burial will be at Fort Logan National Ceremony.

Family wishes, in lieu of flowers, donations to be made in Mattie's memory, to St. Jude Children's Hospital.