Leon Bernard Mattingly

LEON BERNARD MATTINGLY On the morning of September 15, 2015 Leon passed peacefully to His Heavenly Father at home amid his family after a lengthy illness. Leon was 89 years old. Leon Bernard Mattingly was born in Maceo, Kentucky on June 10, 1926 to Levi John Mattingly and Lillie Catherine Mattingly. He was the third child of 10 children. Leon entered WWII at the age of 17 as a member of the Armed Guard in the Asiatic Pacific. He served on board USS Roxanne, USS LST 876, and USS Buckthorn as a Gunner's Mate. The US Navy Armed Guard was a service branch of the United States Navy that was responsible for defending US and Allied merchant ships from attack by enemy aircraft, submarines, and surface ships during Work War II. The men of the Armed Guard served as gunners, signal men, and radio operators on cargo ships, tankers, troop ships, and other merchant vessels. Disbanded following the end of the war, the Armed Guard is today little known or remembered by the general public, or even within the Navy. Without the courage and sacrifice of the men of the Armed Guard, victory in World War II would have been much more difficult and taken much longer. Following the end World War II Leon returned to the family farm in Owensboro, Kentucky to help care for his younger brothers following the death of his mother, Lillie Catherine during childbirth. Leon lived in Kentucky for a time where he was graduated from Brescia University. After graduation Leon was encouraged by one of his teachers to move West and to further his education. He moved to Santa Fe and enrolled in St. Michael's College where he was graduated in June 1952. It was here that he met the love of his life, Christela Velarde Babcock (Chris), his wife of 63 years. Leon operated the Singer Sewing Center on San Francisco Street for 25 years and then The Singer Sewing Center in the Cordova Rd Shopping Center for another 10 years. He likely repaired every sewing machine from Santa Fe to Santo Domingo Pueblo and as far as Taos. Leon loved to garden, fish, tell stories about his life in Kentucky, and spend all his time with family especially his wife, Chris and his many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Leon is preceded in death by his father Levi John Mattingly, mother Lillie Catherine Mattingly, sister Geneva Mattingly Wilson and brothers Virgil, James, Charles, William Earl, Richard, and Philip another Naval Servant who died during the Battle of the Coral Sea. Leon is survived by his wife Chris, his brother Jerome Mattingly, and wife Roberta, Brother-in-law Joe Babcock and wife Rose, daughters Bernadette Parnell, her husband Bob, Lillie Sandoval her husband John, Charlotte Lindsey, her husband David, son Phillip, and wife Tammy, Grandchildren Joshua and Nicholas Parnell, Carlos and Vanessa Sandoval, Jessica James, Fallon Grafe, Hannah Barovier, Meggan Lindsey, Leah Lindsey, Justin Lindsey, Levi and Laura Mattingly, and their spouses Cindy, Zach, David, Nate, and Michelle. Also surviving Leon are his Great Grandchildren Audrey, Jordan, Ethan, Mattingly, Ophelia, Rosalind, Holly and an extensive Mattingly family in Kentucky. Memorial services are being handled by Berardinelli Mortuary. The family requests that all monetary contributions be made to The Wounded Warriors Project. Visitation will be held on Tuesday, September 22, 2015 at 4 pm at Berardinelli Family Funeral Service. A rosary will be recited following at 7 pm. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at 1 pm at St. Anne's Catholic Church with interment following at Santa Fe National Cemetery at 3 pm. Berardinelli Family Funeral Service 1399 Luisa Street Santa Fe, NM 87505 (505) 984-8600 Please sign our guestbook for the family at: www.berardinellifuneralhome.com