Victoria J. Matchinsky

After 94 years of joy, family, friends and laughter, Victoria Matchinsky left this life on Saturday June 3, 2017. One of 16 children born to Pietro and Vingenzina Sarratori, Victoria Joan Sarratori, was born on February 21, 1923 in Geneva, New York.

Victoria moved to Holland, Michigan in 1939 to live with her sister Jean. It was in Holland that she met Louis, “Louie” Matchinsky, forever known to her family as “the American boy”.

In May 1942 she married Louie, and together they raised three children, Paula Louise, Marjorie Irene and Peter Mark, and a niece, Mary Elizabeth Burwitz.

Louis died in 1995. He was the love of her life. When he was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and moved to a nursing home for the last nine months of his life, Victoria visited him every day; feeding him, walking with him through the halls and just being with him. Because Victoria didn’t drive she depended on family and friends to drive her to see Louie and bring her home at the end of the day. We were glad to do it.

Mom shared her energy and enjoyment of helping others by volunteering for the March of Dimes, serving as a library aid at our grade school. She and dad delivered meals for Meals on Wheels.

After Dad died Mom volunteered at Evergreen Commons for five years sharing her energy and humor with participants in Adult Day Health. Later she moved to Waverly Meadows, was active on the board and made friends with many of the other residents.

At her tallest our mother was 4’11” but lately she stood at just 4’7”. If you mentioned her stature she would tell you that she wasn’t short; that was “an illusion.”

Mom had a strong fashion sense that was not for the faint of heart; selecting clothes, not by size, but by color, always saying she “could make it fit” by cutting, hemming, and a little rick rack. Her favorite color was brown. She would accent with other colors and patterns, sometimes with just one color, sometimes two or three. We thought she was eccentric. Today her fashion sense would have been trending.

Her life revolved around her family and friends. Anyone who came to the house was treated as family, given a place at the table and invited to celebrations. Her cooking was legendary. We are all still trying to master her meatball recipe.

Her parents, her husband Louis Paul Matchinsky and most of her siblings preceded her in death. Her brother Dominic survives.

She is survived by her daughters Paula Louise Kathi (Fred), Marjorie Irene Kars, her son Peter Mark Battani (Rina), her niece Mary Elizabeth Burwitz, grandchildren Jennifer Coll (Ken), Emily Elizabeth Kathi, Jonah Matchinsky Battani, Olivia Battani and a great grandchild Bram Coll and many, many nieces and nephews.

We want to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the staff at Providence Healthcare for their kindness and gentle loving care of our mother for the last year and two months of her life. She cared deeply for all of her caregivers.

A public visitation will be held Wednesday June 7 at the Dykstra Funeral Home - Downtown Chapel, 29 East 9th Street downtown Holland, from 6-8p.m.

A celebration of Victoria’s life will be Thursday June 8, at St. Frances de Sales Catholic Church 171 W. 13th. Street in Holland. Wear bright colors. Father Bill VanderWerff will officiate the funeral mass. Burial will be at Pilgrim Home Cemetery. The family was served by the Dykstra Funeral Home - Downtown Chapel.