Gary William Mathias

Portsmouth, RI - Gary William Mathias, 48, of 83 Stubtoe Lane, Portsmouth, RI, died Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at Newport Hospital. Born in Newport, RI on January 4, 1963, he was the son of Jean Bishop Mathias of Portsmouth, RI and the late William Bill Mathias.Gary earned a Bachelors of Arts degree with a double major in Political Science and English, and a Masters degree in Public Administration. While earning his degrees at the University of Rhode Island, Gary worked in several local restaurants: The Ramada Inn, Salva Regina, the former Greenhouse, and the former Andrews, learning his way around a kitchen. His plans were to pursue a career in public administration, but his discovered his true calling as a chef when he went to work for the Brick Alley Pub. Advancing to kitchen manager and executive chef, he was there for 22 years.Gary and his recipes have been featured several times in magazines and other periodicals including the Providence Journal 2006, Bon Appetit, The Taste of Newport 2008 and the Mercury 2011.Gary loved to ride his motorcycle, and was honored to be a member of the Viking Riders.He belonged to the Portuguese American Citizens Club in Portsmouth, proud of his heritage. He was a member of the Newport Athletic club, working out at least three times a week. He supported the Polar Bears, and for the past five years he dove into the ocean for the Polar Bear Plunge on January First - his birthday present to himself. He donated blood as often as a RI Blood Center would allow him. He was proud of his memory of swimming the Sakonnet River at age 13 in a race sponsored by the Cross River Swim; his mother had done it before him, and he did it for her. A man of varied interests, Gary embraced whatever he was doing, and did it well. His love of all things art, from photography to water colors to music to theater, is evidenced by his memberships to the Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, and the Museum of Fine Art in Boston, the many live concerts and plays he attended, and the photographs and artwork that grace his home, some he created himself. But his bookcases are stuffed not only with books about art, but also with books about his many passions: trains, kayaking, cooking, gardening, music and sports, Bruins Hockey, Red Sox Baseball and Redskins football. He read them all, often several times. But it is his passion for fishing that fills most of the spaces on those shelves. Besides his mother, Gary is survived by his daughter Nicole Mathias of Portsmouth, RI, his brother Glenn Mathias and his wife Donna Dutcher Mathias of Portsmouth, RI, his sister Suzanne Mathias Foster of Tolland, CT, his companion Martha Rountree Nunes of Portsmouth, RI, his nephews Charles William Foster of Tolland, CT, Daniel Dutcher and his wife Maryrose Villacorta Dutcher of Portsmouth, and his former wife Kerri Rogers of Portsmouth. Calling hours will be held on Wednesday, November 9, 2011, from 2-4 and 7-9pm in the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth.His funeral will be held on Thursday, November 10, 2011, at 9:00am from the Connors Funeral Home, 55 West Main Road, Portsmouth with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am in St. Barnabas Church, 1697 East Main Road, Portsmouth. Burial will take place in St. Columba Cemetery, Middletown. In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory may be made to Nicole L. Mathias Scholarship, c/o Peoples Credit Union, 858 West Main Rd, Middletown, RI 02842.