Matthew Rupert Dee DEPLEWSKI

25 FEB 1938 - 31 OCT 2022

• BIRTH: 25 FEB 1938, Chicago, Cook, IL
• DEATH: 31 OCT 2022, South Bend, St Joseph, IN

INDEX

[N33531] Matthew Rupert Dee Deplewski
February 25, 1938 - October 31, 2022
Name Changs - Deplewski to Dee

Matthew Rupert Dee, a longtime resident of South Bend, passed away October 31, 2022. Matt was born on February 25,1938, in Chicago to Matthew & Sabina (Hejna) Deplewski. He spent his early childhood at Ft. Bliss, Texas and then returned to Chicago after World War II. He graduated from Robert S. Lindblom H.S. on Chicago's SW side. He attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Economics. In 1959, Matt married Lynn Arlene Heintzelman and moved to South Bend. They had two children Jeff Dee and Melanie Dee Nelson. After 30 years of marriage, Lynn succumbed to multiple sclerosis. Matt was a United States Marine and served in the 6th Engineer Reserve Battalion until 1964. He was employed by United Beverage Company, an Indiana Beer Wholesaler, serving customers in Northern Indiana. He retired as the Chairman Emeritus in 2003 after 44 years. He was very active in industry affairs on both a state and national level. He served as Vice-President of the Beer Distributors of Indiana, Chairman of the political-action committee for the Indiana Beverage Alliance. Matt was elected as Chairman of the Anheuser-Busch Wholesalers Advisory Panel in 1975, and then as Chairman of the National Beer Wholesalers Association in 1990. Matt also served as a director of the local Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of the Convention & Visitors Bureau. He was a member of the Achievement Forum and was awarded their "Man of the Year" award in 2002. Matt twice received Indiana's Sagamore of the Wabash, first from Governor Frank O'Bannon and then two years later from Governor Joseph Kerman. Matt enjoyed the outdoors, including golf, fishing, Cubs baseball and Notre Dame Football. He was a charter member of the University Club, the now extinct Notre Dame QB Club, the Sorin Society, and the Rockne Foundation. Matt is survived by his second wife, Marilyn along with an extended family, including 12 grandchildren, younger sister Pamela, along with cousins, nephews, nieces, brothers-in-laws, son-in-law, daughters-in-laws. Family is spread from California, Arkansas, Indiana to Florida. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Marine Corps Toys for Tots, Annual Christmas drive.

Posted online on November 04, 2022
Published in South Bend Tribune