Some of Tony’s favorite activities were with the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, where he was a docent and a board member. He was also active in the Ojai Presbyterian Church, serving on the Finance Committee for several years.Tony is survived by his wife, Janelle of Ojai; his daughter, Natalie McBean, and her son, Alec, of Ann Arbor, MI; his son, Gaelan McBean, and children, Emily and Dillon, of Pinnacle, NC; his sister-in-law, Janeen Renteria, and her partner, Mike Allison, of Santee, CA; his mother-in-law, Cheryl Porter, of El Cajon, CA; his brother, August, and sister-in-law, Jane Furth, of New York City; his stepmother, Elsie, of Little Neck, NY; and several cousins and their children.A celebration of Tony’s life will be held at the Santa Paula Airport on Saturday, January 6 at 2 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula, Ojai Education Foundation, or Heifer International.Arrangements are under the direction of Clausen Funeral Home, Ojai, 646-1451.
Obituary
January 03, 2007
Obituaries
Anthony “Tony” Michael Matzdorf
Christmas 2006 was the best ever for Tony. His beloved dog, Lucy, met him at the Pearly Gates on the morning of December 24th. Those of us left behind will miss his fabulous cooking, dry humor, and insightful advice.Tony was born in New York City on April 5, 1940 to August and Jackie Matzdorf. He grew up in Bayside, NY, where he was active in the Church on the Hill and the Boy Scouts. He attended the Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT, and remembered his grandfather’s pride that he was a deepwater sailor of a square-rigged ship.While stationed at Coast Guard Headquarters in Washington, D.C., he earned his master’s degree from George Washington University. Ford Motor Company recruited Tony to work on the finance staff at their headquarters in Dearborn, MI. He was also an advisor, helping minority business people develop their ideas in Detroit.Tony left Michigan to be the general manager of Venture Services in Alaska during the building of the Trans-Atlantic Pipeline. Contacts made during that period led to his involvement in businesses connected with uranium mining in New Mexico. Most recently, Tony was a stockbroker and, for the last several years, a Certified Financial Planner.Boat racing on the Great Lakes was a favorite pastime while living in Michigan. For several years, Tony was active in the Ventura County Corvette Club. He kept in shape at the Ojai Valley Athletic Club and was a member of Team 100 for many years.Until his recent illness, Tony was active in the Rotary Club of Ojai, especially enjoying his term as Director of Community Service. He valued education and was a member of the Ojai Education Foundation. High points included participating in the distribution of school supplies to kindergarteners and the student interviews at Matilija Junior High School.
