Richard Theodore Mattson

1937 - 2024

Richard Theodore Mattson
Richard Theodore "Dick" Mattson, 87, of Spring Hill, Florida, formerly of Cheshire, CT, passed away peacefully from pancreatic cancer at his home on Wednesday, October 2, 2024, surrounded by his loving wife and daughters.
He was the husband of Susan (Schoeck) Mattson for 56 years. Dick was born in Waterbury on May 18, 1937, son of the late Carl George Mattson Sr. and Lillian Bumstead Mattson. He grew up in the Hitchcock Lake section of Wolcott, attended South School, graduated from Crosby High School, Class of 1955, and attended UCONN Waterbury for two years. He worked at Mattson Associates, his father's surveying business as a teenager and young adult. As a licensed land surveyor, he and his brother, Carl G. Mattson, Jr., co-owned Mattson Associates Land Surveyors until his retirement.
He served in the United States Army at various bases in this country, but primarily at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was also in the Army Reserves. As a youth, he was active in Boy Scouts and church activities at Mill Plain Union Church. He worked at the drag strip in Waterbury and was a member of the CAMS Motor Club. Dick was proud to be a member of the Masonic Fraternity starting with the Order of DeMolay in Waterbury in his teenage years. He was Past Master Councilor of Doric Chapter Order of DeMolay and Past State Senior Councilor. He was awarded the Order of Chevalier and was a Past Grand Commander of the Connecticut Court of Chevaliers. He was raised as a Master Mason in Euclid Lodge #135 A.F. & A.M. in 1964 and served in various lodge officer positions until he affiliated with Temple Lodge #16 A.F. & A.M. in Cheshire in 1990. Dick was installed as Worshipful Master of Temple Lodge in 1992. He participated in various Scottish Rite Degrees in New Haven. Dick enjoyed being a Shriner and was a member of the Kaabans Shrine Club, a social club for Shriners. He received his 50-year Masonic membership pin in 2014 and his 60-year Masonic pin in a special ceremony at his home a month before he passed.
Dick was a Cheshire High School Marching Ram Band Parent when his daughters were members of the Color Guard. His hobbies included woodworking, cooking, and traveling within the United States, Canada, and Europe with his wife and daughters. He was a 50-year member of the First Congregational Church of Cheshire serving on various boards. In Florida, he was an associate member of Spring Hill United Church of Christ also serving on boards and committees there.
Dick was devoted to his family. In addition to his wife, Susan, he is survived by his daughters, Jennifer (Larry) DeGroff of Springfield, VA and Elizabeth Mattson and her partner, Jason Klein, of Huntersville, NC, several nieces, nephews, and their spouses as well as cousins, great-nieces and nephews and his sisters-in-law, Dorothy B. Mattson (Carl, Jr.) and Lois P. Mattson (Jon). Besides his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, Carl G. Mattson, Jr. and Jon E. Mattson. His grand dogs, Cody and Tucker DeGroff and Tiny, Prince, and Stella Mattson were a joy in his life.
His family wishes to thank the staff at the many medical facilities that have treated him in the past year particularly Dr. Peter Allen at Duke University Cancer Center, Dr. Huayang Tang at Florida Cancer Specialists, BayCare nurses and physical therapists, and ultimately HPH Hospice.
A Memorial Service will be held at Spring Hill United Church of Christ in Florida on Tuesday, October 15, at 2:00 p.m.
A Connecticut service will be held on Saturday, October 26, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Congregational Church of Cheshire. A Masonic Service will precede the funeral at 10:40 a.m. Burial will follow the service in the church's columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Shriners Children's New England in memory of Richard Mattson and sent to Sphinx Shriners Hospital, PO Box 310157, Newington, CT 06131; Project Purple for Pancreatic Cancer, PO Box 884, Seymour, CT 06483, or the First Congregational Church of Cheshire through their website: First Cheshire.org/donate or send to the church at 111 Church Drive, Cheshire, CT 0641.