Matthew A Opeka

Matt was born in Oakdale, Pennsylvania on December 10, 1930, the youngest of three brothers, all now deceased.

He attended local schools nearby but took the train to Pittsburgh to attend both high school and college.

Matt graduated from The Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University),

with an engineering degree, majoring in mechanical/aeronautical engineering.

He soon entered the Air Force to pursue his love of flying. Stationed in Texas and Georgia he mastered that art,

however, an ear problem grounded him and caused him to leave the Air Force as a Major.

He continued to serve as a Reservist until he retired from there.

After moving to Baltimore, he began work at The Glenn L, Martin Company and through an associate there he met

Jean on a blind date. That date lasted for almost 70 years as they would have celebrated that anniversary

on August 31 of this year.

Before long two sons arrived, Mark in 1957 and Keith in 1959. When Mark married Pam (Suter) two grandsons

arrived, Benjamin and Samuel.

Matt left The Martin Company to work at the Federal Aviation Administration, and then shortly after NASA was

created he began working there at The Goddard Space Flight Center.in Greenbelt, Maryland. His accomplishments

there were many, including being tasked by NASA to assist the President's Commission in the investigation of

the nuclear accident at Three Mile Island. Before he retired from NASA a tree was planted in his honor for his years

of service. To our knowledge, this was the first time this had been done for a living person.

Matt continued to work until he was 88 years of age, employed by companies to manage their NASA contracts. One

of those companies instituted a yearly commendation to an employee called the MORE award

- the initials for the Matt Opeka Reward of Excellence.

Jean and Matt traveled constantly all around the world. They loved cruising, riverboating in Europe,

steam boating in the U.S, and visited every state and almost every continent.

To say that Matt was loved and respected by everyone would be an understatement -

he unselfishly sought to help others to be the best that they could be.

His whole life was an example of the best in all of us, and we will miss him always.