Ryan Matko

Ryan Anthony Matko, age 16, of Chester, VA, died on Wednesday, August 22, 2007. Ryan was born in Richmond, VA, and was an upcoming junior at Thomas Dale High School. He belonged to the Pittsburg Steelers Fan Club, and had been a big fan and member for four years. Ryan was a cook at the family restaurant, the Wild Rose Café, and had plans to pursue culinary school as a career. He also looked forward to working there more this year during the afternoons through a work study program at school that he had qualified for. Ryan loved to hunt, and was a member of the â??Top Gunâ? hunting club in Buckingham County, VA. He is survived by a mother, Rose M. Matko of Chester; a father and step mother, Max M. and Victoria V. Griffith-Matko of Midlothian; a sister, Jessica Marie Matko of Chester; a niece, Madison Rose; grandparents, Judy and Howard Cummings of Chester; great-grandmother, Rosalie Blankenship of Westminister, MD; a special sister, Holly Schaffner; uncles, Thomas Matko and wife Laurie, and Joe Griffith; and aunts, Melissa Triscari and Tami Melchek and husband John; and cousins, Emily, Lindsey, Hunter, Colyn, and Michalena. The family will receive friends at the J. T. Morriss & Son Funeral Home & Cremation Service on Sunday, August 26, 2007 from 5 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will follow on Monday, 11 a.m. at the St. Edward Catholic Church, Richmond, VA. Interment will follow in Dale Memorial Park, Chesterfield. In lieu of flowers, the family request memorial contributions are made to the Ryan Matko Reward Fund through any local Village Bank. Condolences to the family may be registered at www.jtmorriss.com