Vera Matlack (Ragazzone) Service Information

Vera Ragazzone Matlack, of Quakertown, PA died on Thursday, January 25, 2024, at Grandview Hospital. She was 85.

She was the beloved wife of the late Howard Matlack.

Born in Roggiano Gravina, Cosenza, Calabria, Italy, Vera was one of six children to Francesco and Maria Ragazzone.

She was predeceased by her sister Arsilia “Pasqualina” Muto and her husband Francesco “Frenchie” and her brother Vincenzo Ragazzone and his wife Irene, and her stepbrother Bernard “Benny” Scarcia and his wife Victoria, and her brother Mario Ragazzone.

Vera was fashionable and enjoyed fine clothing and jewelry. Her eyebrows were legendary, and she insisted on having a pencil at all times, even in the hospital. Her weekly visits to the hair salon were her favorite affair, accompanied by her children and grandchildren, who always received doughnuts even if they weren’t hungry—just in case. She cooked enough homemade food to feed everyone, with leftovers to spare. No one would be under or leave her roof without making sure they were fed, watered and welcomed to come again. Lasagna, meatballs, fried eggplants, broccoli rabe and stuffed cabbages (“clunkies”) have become family recipe staples and were passed down to her family.

On her birthday, she would ask to visit the casino and was often the only one out of the group to come home with more money than she arrived with. Never much of a drinker, she nevertheless enjoyed a glass of champagne for special occasions. In her youth, she enjoyed the movies and dancing the jitterbug with her late husband, Howard, and more recently daytime soaps. She rooted for the Eagles, who better make it right next year in her honor.

She claimed to not like animals, yet when no one was looking she would slip them treats, and all of the dogs and cats would—and still do—look for her company. Family was everything to her. She celebrated every child, kept track of every birthday, and was a cornerstone of every gathering.

The loss of Vera—Nanny, Mom—is the devastating loss of a matriarch. But, she will also be remembered in every home-cooked meal and the light shining on a gemstone.

She is survived by her four children, Brenda Smith and her husband Martin of Quakertown, Maria Steffens and Jim Gilbert of Bradenton, FL, Scott Matlack and his wife Kay of Levittown and James Matlack and his wife Tracey of Quakertown, her three brothers Dominic Ragazzone and his wife Eileen of New Jersey, Salvatore “Sammy” Ragazzone and his wife Irene of Levittown, Luigi “Louie” Ragazzone and his wife Patricia of Florida. She is also survived by her seven dear grandchildren, Marissa Smith, Marina Dunn (Nick), Hannah Steffens (Robert Martinez Jr.), Aaron Steffens, Jarret Matlack, Rylee Matlack, Mason Matlack and two great-grandchildren, Oriah Martinez and Robert Marinez Jr.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend her viewing on Saturday, February 10, 2024 from 9:00am until her Funeral Service, 10:30am in the Joseph A. Fluehr III Funeral Home, 241 East Butler Ave. (at Sandy Ridge Rd.) New Britain, PA 18901. Her interment will follow in Pine Grove Cemetery, Warminster.

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