Guy Mattei
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Guy (Guido) Mattei, 72, died January 5 at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center hospice of bone marrow failure with his wife at his side.
Born October 14, 1949, in New York, New York, Guy was the third of eight children of Guido and Mary Mattei. He graduated from Deer Park High School, and in 1971 graduated from the University of Connecticut with a BS in Fisheries Biology. He married Eileen Couture on June 19, 1971, and they began Peace Corps Volunteer training 6 weeks later. He and his wife lived in Babungo, Ndop, Cameroon working in aquaculture until 1974. They then traveled on a BMW motorcycle across Europe for 4 months.
Guy managed fish farms in California and Tamaulipas, Mexico, along with owning and operating Sulphur Fish Hatchery in Oklahoma for 10 years. He served as an AID aquaculture consultant in Belarus and Egypt. In 1993 he settled in Harlingen.
Guy was a fish farmer, blacksmith-artist, sculptor, woodworker, musician, avid cyclist, problem solver, beloved husband and brother, and much more. He designed and built equipment for maquiladoras and shrimp farms. He designed and crafted the chandelier and sconces in the Harlingen Municipal Auditorium. He completed public art commissions in McAllen and for TSC in Brownsville. He played bass clarinet in the Rio Grande Concert Band. Always open to adventures and challenges, Guy made time to bicycle as much as 7,000 miles a year, twice.
Guy's survivors include his wife, Eileen; six siblings, Anna Mattei, Isa Mattei, Karina Mattei, Mary Mattei, Laura Mattei and Robert Mattei (Lisa). Also, his father-in-law, Albert Couture; and in-laws, Richard Couture (Deborah), Ann Walton (Allan), Diane Dawley (Mark), Margaret Couture, Kevin Couture (Margaret), Michael Couture (Tammy); and 17 nieces and nephews.