Monday, January 30, 2017
In 1985, shortly after Cathy and I got married, we met our next door neighbors, when a lanky tall gentleman sauntered up the sidewalk and addressed me in perfect Spanish. I was stunned to find someone who could speak Spanish in Schenectady! Turns out that Matt was a good friend of my mentor at GE, Abel Fernandez. Thus began a lifelong wonderful relationship with the Galvez family. We soon met Mary and Bill when we learned that our children were born days apart, and the rest is history. For the 7 years that we lived in Schenectady, Matt and Cleta made our life special with sagely advice, laughter, and an appreciation of all that life had to give. When we moved down to Miami, we visited with them whenever we got back to Schenectady - the high point of the visit - and we got to spend some time with them when they wintered in Delray. How we looked forward to those visits. I fondly remember evenings when Matt would come over to spend hours chatting with my dad on the front porch - he had found someone else who also spoke Spanish! He was such a caring and loving man who give his all to anyone in need, a true example of what it means to be a Christian and a great role model. Matt, you are going to be sorely missed, but we find some solace in the fact that you came into our life and brought joy and love, and helped shape it, which not even time can take away.Rest peacefully, our friend, and watch over us still, as you always did...
