Harry Matthew Powner

Harry Matthew “Matt” Powner went home to be with our Lord early on the morning of January 10th, 2024. Matt’s life and legacy spanned multiple states where he will be remembered for his dedication to service and love for others. Matt grew up in Edgeworth, PA and he and his wife, Rosemary, later made their home in Ambridge, PA. In 1985, they made the move to Atlanta, Georgia where they resided for 30 years. Finally, in 2016 Matt and his beloved wife of 62 years moved to Orlando, FL. Sadly, Rosemary went home to be with the Lord just a couple months after they moved to Florida. Matt’s lifelong commitment to service began in Pennsylvania when he was just a boy. He served as an altar boy at Saint James Catholic Church but that was just the start of his community service. He would later serve eight years in the Naval Reserve, and many years as a volunteer firefighter in Baden, PA. One night while serving as a firefighter, Matt raced to the station to find there was not a driver for the fire truck. He knew minutes counted as a raging forest fire was encroaching on a local neighborhood. He drove the truck for the first time only to discover it was his relative’s community that was at risk. Flames engulfed hundreds of trees that stood high above the homes. Matt and his fellow firefighters battled throughout the night as the fire nearly reached the backyards. They were hailed as local heroes when they returned to their families the next morning with their faces and clothing blackened with soot. The fire that had threatened hundreds of lives and homes was abated with not a single loss of life or property. Many knew Matt from coaching little league baseball for the Ambridge Youth Association alongside his two best friends from high school. The three close friends shared their love of sports with the local youth as they attended the local high school’s football games every Friday night. They also shared a passion for the Pittsburg Steelers and Matt remained a loyal fan for life - never missing a game. These two close friends and their wives shared many memories with Matt and Rosemary – with the three couples going out dancing together, playing in a card club, bowling in a league, and gathering at Eat n’ Park for food and laughter. Matt and Rose loved these times together with their close lifetime friends. In Pennsylvania, Matt worked at Bethlehem Steel Corporation for over two decades where he said his favorite job was as a railroad engineer. During his free time, Matt loved Sunday drives to the countryside where the family would stop at the apple orchard, do cookouts and badminton with the neighbors, go for family picnics and swimming at the lake, and throw memorable Christmas parties for family and friends each year. After moving to Atlanta, Matt worked at Jordan, Jones and Goulding engineering firm for over a decade. He was known for his competitive volleyball skills at the annual company picnic held at the Jones’ tree farm. He and Rosemary were part of the company bowling team for years, where every week they spent time in the company of friends. One of Matt’s favorite memories was having the opportunity to carry the 1996 Paralympic Torch as it passed by Jordan, Jones & Goulding during the pre-opening ceremony relay. When it came time to retire, Matt’s colleagues threw a memorable retirement party for him with many of his long-time friends there to wish him well. Matt and Rosemary loved to visit the beach with their family and friends. He loved to sit above the water in the resort gazebo and watch the sun set over the ocean. It was his peaceful place where he and Rosemary loved to vacation. They made sandcastles with the grandkids and picked up seashells to carry home as treasures. Matt played “shark” in the pool with the kids as they laughed and created memories that would last a lifetime. Matt was never one to stay still and went back to work not long after retiring for the first time. He worked for Gwinnett Community Bank and once again came to cherish his colleagues as well as many of his bank customers. He was known for always lending a hand to others. Matt and Rose were active in their church and with Catholic charities. They volunteered with the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Matt served as an usher for two decades at St. Matthew Catholic Church. He was lead usher for the 5pm Saturday mass. One of Matt’s favorite activities was gardening. He cultivated award-winning azaleas and rose bushes as well as giant tomato plants and fresh zucchini. While Matt was gardening, Rosemary faithfully attended to their hummingbird feeders which they hung year after year. They would sit outside for hours with their beloved Bichon dog, Baby, as they watched the hummingbirds zoom by. At Christmas, Matt and Rose continued their Christmas Party tradition - including serving Matt’s famous holiday punch each year. Matt and Rose would spend weeks designing their indoor holiday villages and outdoor winter wonderlands. Every year, people would drive from miles away to see that year’s light display. Matt finally decided to retire for the second time in 2016. During his retirement years in Florida, Matt made friends from around the country and even from around the world. Every morning, Matt sat in the clubhouse having his coffee and donuts. His family liked to say that he befriended the world one donut at a time, as he offered everyone who walked through the door a warm greeting and a donut. Even in the off season, he regularly kept in touch with his worldwide group of friends. When he later moved to a 55+ community, he loved partaking of Friday morning coffee with his friends. He would join his fellow retirees for their monthly ROMEO (Retired Old Men Eating Out) breakfast outings. Some of his favorite memories were decorating his golf cart for the annual Christmas golf cart parade which he participated in every year with his granddaughter and his dog, Baby. Matt’s almost ninety years encompassed a life well lived. He will be missed by all those who loved him. It is the end of an era as he was the last of five brothers. Matt loved his vacations at the beach with his brother Steve, Christmas and Easter celebrations at his brother Les’ home, Fourth of July celebrations and fireworks at his brother Ted’s and visiting his brother Rody in Colorado. Those were some of his happiest times in life. We know they are all together again in heaven. A memorial was held for Matt in his community, where so many shared stories of how he had touched their lives. A Catholic funeral mass was also held, and Matt was laid to rest alongside his Rosie in a private graveside service. It was followed by a celebration of life as some of their most memorable times were re-created for family and friends in honor of their lives. Matt’s family would like to thank the many doctors and nurses who cared for him as well as the Advent Health ICU and Hospice teams whose care and compassion for Matt will always be remembered.

Harry Matthew Powner

May 22, 1934 - January 10, 2024