Matthew P. Studnicki

Matthew Paul Studnicki went home to be with the Lord on September 30, 2023. Beloved husband of Stacey, his wife of 35 years. Loving father of Matthew, Chelsea and Christopher. Dear brother of Cynthia (Richard) Roach. Loving son of Elizabeth and the late Matthew Henry. Preceded in death by his father and sister Patricia LaPratt.

Matt was born on September 14, 1957, in Pontiac, Michigan. He was the youngest child of three, and the only boy. His family moved to Pontiac from Pennsylvania when his father got a job at the new General Motors plant. Matt attended Daniel Whitfield Elementary School in Pontiac for kindergarten. From first grade through eighth grade, he and his sisters attended St. Benedict’s Catholic School in Pontiac.

One of the most defining moments of Matt’s life was the death of his beloved father when he was only 10 years old. Matt’s father, Matthew Henry Studnicki, served in World War II. He sustained an injury that resulted in a blood clot in his leg. One day, while he was at home, the blood clot caused his sudden death. From that point on, his mother raised Matt and his two sisters by herself.

Matt attended Pontiac Central High School, where he graduated in 1975. He always wanted to attend a major university, and so he was thrilled when he was accepted into Michigan State in the fall of 1975 to study engineering. He graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Metallurgical Engineering in 1980. He was a lifelong MSU Spartans fan. He liked to tell us that he was at the University at the same time as Magic Johnson, and saw him around campus and playing basketball.

He started working at Great Lakes Steel in 1980. He stayed at Great Lakes for 40 years, working in the lab, quality assurance, and on Zug Island. While at Great Lakes, Matt enjoyed playing in the various sports leagues at work, including the baseball, bowling and golf leagues. He was the Treasurer for the golf league for many years. His love of golf started early; his dad would take him to the golf course and he would caddy for him, and later he caddied as a summer job.

In the early 1980s, he moved Downriver to be closer to work. He joined the Southgate Jaycees, a volunteer organization, and held various positions including Treasurer and Secretary. Meetings were held at the Zodiac Racquet Club on Dix Road. On March 20, 1985, a visitor named Stacey attended the meeting. Matt asked for her phone number and the rest is history. Matt and Stacey were married on October 8, 1988, but always celebrated every March 20th since that was the day they met.

In 1991, Matt obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration from Wayne State University. Two years later, in 1993, Matthew William was born. Chelsea and Christopher soon followed. Matt loved being a dad and the kids were the center of his universe. He enrolled them in swimming lessons, dance, soccer, taekwondo, baseball, boy scouts and girl scouts. He attended all of their games and recitals, and always had a camera in his hands. He was very proud of them and they adored him too. There were frequent family road trips to Disneyworld and Cedar Point, and Matt liked going on the rides with the kids, especially the roller coasters.

Matt loved volunteering. He was the Treasurer for the Plymouth Fife & Drum Corps, Plymouth Fall Festival, the golf league, a member of the Plymouth Rotary, the food crew for the Plymouth-Canton Marching Band, an usher at Agape Christian Church, and on the clean-up crew at Northridge Church for many years.

He loved watching his MSU Spartans, the Detroit Tigers, Red Wings, and action movies. He enjoyed taking road trips with Chelsea to her jobs across the country at various National Parks. He and Chris took many road trips to his drumline auditions, and he traveled with Matthew to Cedar Point and they enjoyed many concerts together.

Matt worked on Zug Island until it closed in April 2020. He was just beginning to enjoy his retirement and play more golf when he noticed a weakness in his left hand and tremor in his arm. After many doctor’s appointments, he was diagnosed with ALS. He fought as hard as he could, enrolling in drug trials with experimental treatments. His family were his caregivers and kept Matt as comfortable as possible in their home. Matt passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of September 30, 2023 at home with his family.