Phyllis Mattena's Obituary
Phyllis Mattena passed away peacefully at home January 23 due to complications from cancer. Phyllis was born December 14, 1934, in Salt Lake City, Utah to Lloyd and Margaret Butcher.
Phyllis married George T. Mattena in February 1954, and in 1969 they started M-One Specialties. In the early years of the business, Phyllis ran the company during the day while George worked at Lawson Plumbing to make ends meet.
George was a devoted Catholic and Phyllis eventually converted from the LDS faith to Catholicism when she was baptized in 1999 at Saint Marguerite’s Parish in Tooele. When Phyllis and George moved back to Salt Lake City, they attended Saint Patrick Parish where Phyllis loved volunteering in the parish office once a week and supporting her church in a variety of ways.
Not many people knew this, but Phyllis was a professional women’s wrestler and competed in the “Dirt Palace” at the Utah State Fairgrounds during the 1950’s. Phyllis also loved to go fishing, doing water aerobics, and spending time with her friends doing different crafts, playing games, and going thrift store shopping. Phyllis also loved music especially that of Merle Haggard, Jethro Toll, and anything by The Beatles.
Phyllis is survived by her three sons, Lou (Amy), Joe (Sylvia), and Mark “The Dog” (Kelly), 9 grandchildren, 14 great-grandchildren, and 4 great great-grandchildren.
A celebration of Phyllis’s life will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2022, at her home from 11:00 A.M – 2:00 P.M. Friends and family are invited to attend to share memories and reminisce.
A funeral mass will be held in Phyllis’s honor Monday, February 14, 2022, at Saint Patrick Parish (1085 W 400 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84104) at 11:00 A.M.
In lieu of flowers, Phyllis requested that donations be made to Saint Patrick Parish.
A link on the Neil O’Donnell Funeral Home website will soon be available where family and friends will be welcome to leave messages in remembrance of Phyllis.
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