A celebration of life will take place in mid-June for James P. Mattes, 51, who died May 8, 2003, in Los Angeles, Calif., of complications from leukemia. He was born Dec. 20, 1951, in Syracuse, N.Y.
After traveling and living in various parts of the world, he settled at Lake Tahoe in 1985. He moved to the Carson City area in 1995. He was employed as a bartender at Caesars Tahoe from 1985 until 2001 and at the Silver Dollar Casino in Carson City from 2002 until the time of his death.
He enjoyed spending time with his family, playing his guitar, collecting coins, doing crossword puzzles and working on his house.
Mattes is survived by his mother, Pauline Mattes of Jamesville, N.Y.; sister and brother-in-law Judy and Tom Kowaiski of LaFayette, N.Y., and sister and brother-in-law Rose and Nasser Noorani of Moorpark, Calif.; nieces and nephews Paulette and Rick Kowaiski or LaFayette, N.Y., and Tara and Evan Noorani or Moorpark, Calif.; and numerous other relatives.
He was preceded in death by his father, James F. Mattes of Jamesville, N.Y., in 1993.
As a memorial, people are urged to donate blood and platelets or become a bone marrow donor.
