Raymond R. Demattia

SILVER LAKE - Raymond R. DeMattia, 96, of Silver Lake, Ohio, passed away on April 13, 2022, after a brief illness. He was predeceased by his parents, Victor and Mary (Lattanzio) DeMattia, and his siblings, Adriana Bronner, Lea Blinkie, Fedora DeMattia, Hamlet DeMattia, and Edmond DeMattia. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Catherine (Questel); his three sons, Richard (Mara), Alan (Suellen), and William (Alys), and by his six grandchildren and two great-grandsons.

Raymond was born into a musical family on October 24, 1925, in Steubenville, Ohio. He was the fifth of six children born to Victor and Mary (Lattanzio) DeMattia. At a very young age, he began to study flute playing under the guidance of his grandfather, Enea Trovarelli, who was at one time a member of Creatore’s Band and who instructed all the DeMattia siblings in music. After graduation from Steubenville High School, (Big Red), he enlisted in the United States Army at age 17. He attended artillery school at Fort Benning, Georgia, and served in the Third Army, 87 ^th Infantry, Golden Acorn Division on active duty in Europe during World War II for two years.

Upon his return to the States, Raymond graduated from Kent State University. He studied with all three flutists of the Cleveland Orchestra: Maurice Sharp, Marty Heylman, and Bill Hebert. He obtained his Master’s Degree from Columbia Teachers’ College in New York City. There he studied with John Wummer, principal flute of the New York Philharmonic. He was fascinated that each of these teachers emphasized a different aspect of the art of flute playing.

When he returned to Ohio, he taught instrumental and vocal music in the Manchester Schools for 16 years. He was then recruited by John F. Farinacci to the Kent State University School of Music as a full-time associate professor. He was, in addition, a founding member of the Akron Symphony Orchestra where he played as first chair flutist for 20 years.

Raymond remained at Kent State University for 24 years. Among many professional activities at KSU, he and other members of the Kent Woodwind Quintet traveled to school districts in Ohio presenting concerts and recruiting future music educators and performers for the School of Music. Many of his talented students remained in close contact with him over the years, and their phone calls, letters, emails, and invitations gave him great pleasure. His students’ regard for his teaching was expressed in their establishment of the Raymond DeMattia Honorary Scholarship for Flute through the Kent State University Foundation, which was first awarded in 2013.

In retirement, Raymond learned to typeset music on the computer and worked to preserve music of Halim El-Dabh, Pat Pace, Harold Miles, John Ferritto, Jack Hurd, Earl Kelly, and other composers. He, in addition, spent many hours transcribing music performance tape recordings onto CD media. Always a people-person, he enjoyed spending time and conversation with his grandchildren, family, and friends.

The family wishes to thank the doctors, nurses, and all the other helpers at Western Reserve Hospital in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, who so kindly gave our dear Raymond and his family such loving care. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Redmon Funeral Home of Stow, Ohio.

Announcement of a celebration of life will be made at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Raymond DeMattia Honorary Flute Scholarship of the Kent State University Foundation at http://ksu.convio.net/DeMattia or P.O. Box 5190, Kent, OH 44242-0001.