Matthew Jonathan Bartels

Matthew Jonathan Bartels, a cherished son, brother, and friend, departed this life on October 24, 2025, in Tampa, Florida, at the age of 48. Born on November 10, 1976, in Danville, Pennsylvania, Matthew will be lovingly remembered for his enduring spirit, kind heart, and joyful presence.

As a Downs child, the special education folks said Matthew could not learn to read and write….but his mother taught him to write the letters, to speak their sounds, and how to read single words. He learned numbers up to 50. He knew his birthday and his age. He always knew if it was Thursday, BOGO day at the grocery store. He knew if it was Sunday, church day. And, he learned to swim. The first swim teacher gave up trying but his mom took him to the university swim program. It just so happened that 6 other boys named Matthew were at the facility at the same time. The student instructor showed one boy the swimming stroke and then said to the first boy, “Matthew, now you do it.” Each boy-Matthew successively reproduced the stroke. Our Matthew was last. When the instructor gestured and said, “Matthew, now you do it,” he swam the crawl stroke with great competence. And, always thereafter, he swam confidently, reliably, and enjoyed rolling, blowing, even diving. When his 9-year-younger sister began diving for toys in the shallow end of the pool, Matthew learned to dive for toys, as well. 

His mother taught him to recite Bible verses with hand motions. One was Joshua 1:9: (KJV) “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Matthew recited that almost every night as he came to his parent’s bedroom to pick up a colored straw…he loved colored straws. She also taught him John 3:16 with hand motions. In the Idlewild Baptist Church Spring Children’s program, Matthew was escorted from the risers to the microphone and recited the full verse in his practiced, deliberate fashion while the orchestra played, perfect recitation, hand motions each as Mom had taught him…and the response was a standing ovation. One of the boys in that program later became Matthew’s primary care doctor and remembers Matthew’s performance.  

Matthew learned early to worship Jesus, hands raised, to pray kneeling, and to use his hands as would a choir director. With his hands in motion, he was also worshipping. He learned many of the children’s songs and had about 50 children’s music cassette tapes. Late evenings, Matthew would strum his guitar and sing along while playing the music on a cassette player. At times, a joyful Matthew often marched back and forth along with the rhythm of the music.  

Matthew loved puzzles and had incredible shape memory. He had about 50 puzzles, some floor puzzles, some table puzzles. He would open the box, pick up one piece at a time, inspect it, and spread out the pieces one by one, as if recognizing each piece by shape. He would toss them to a specific site if on the floor or place them carefully around on his desktop approximately in the order of assembly. Then, he would look specifically for each piece, pick it up, and carefully lay it in place. Later, when his tremors became bothersome, he would patiently wait for the tremor to set the piece. When finished with a puzzle, he would appraise it with modest pride, then disassemble it and put it away. He always put one puzzle away in an extremely specific place before getting another to solve.  

Matthew loved Mom’s cooking, especially meatloaf or chili. Whatever she made, one always had to leave some for him to go for seconds or thirds.  

Matthew had 3 stuffed dolphins that went wherever he did. Nights, the smaller one was tucked next to his face, usually snuggling his right cheek. The main stuffed dolphin, he named “manatee.”  

Daytimes, especially after his mother was recovering from Covid, he would sit at her feet as she napped on the family room sofa and patiently rub her arthritic toes. Both then would fall asleep in the morning sunlight, he with his hand on her toes and she pleasantly nestled on a soft pillow.  

Matthew was a loving, snuggling son. He would sit next to “Papa-Daddy” in the recliner, sometimes falling asleep. Later as illness nagged, he would plaintively request, “babysit me,” and his dad would snuggle next to him or lie next to his bed in a recliner. Late in his illness, a restless Matthew would come to his sleeping Dad’s bedside, gently touch his leg, and then add, “Papa” implying, “please come to my room and babysit me.”  

Matthew loved church, especially the music service. When his cherished 9-year younger sister was in Sunday School, Matthew tagged along until she was a teen. He would wave his hands as if directing the music, keeping timing with the music, often repeating some of the words for the many hymns with which he was quite familiar. When young still in church sitting with his parents and sister, Matthew would kneel at prayer time and raises his hands in praise with the music.  

He so very much loved his sister and two nephews. Matthew would play in the pool as the nephews tussled and was a good swimmer. When the boys came over for dinner, Matthew enjoyed being part of the parting “Aaronic Blessing” that his mother recited, with her addition: (KJV)Numbers 6:24 “ ‘The LORD bless thee, and keep thee: 25 The LORD make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee: 26 The LORD lift up his countenance upon thee, and give thee peace.’…in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Who is living in your heart.”….God’s face is now shining upon Matthew’s face with a glorious countenance. 

Matthew Jonathan Bartels is survived by his devoted mother, Linda Rousku Bartels; father, Loren Jay Bartels; sister, LisaJoy Letezia Bartels; nephews, Caleb A Bates and Jonathan A Bates; grandfather, Rev LL Bartels; grandmother, Constance O Bartels; grandfather, Aaro W Rousku; grandmother, Letizia DelTerzo Rousku; aunts, Dorothy Caimano, Terry Franjione, Lois Johns, and Sue Bartels; uncles, Eric Bartels, Ron Bartels, Mark Franjione, Charles Johns and Vincent Caimano;  along with numerous extended family members who cherished him deeply.

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, November 8, 2025, at the Land O Lakes First Baptist Church, beginning with visitation at 9:00 AM, followed by the service at 9:30 AM. A graveside service will take place thereafter at Lake Carroll Cemetery.