Paul David Mattlin, 51
Paul David Mattlin, 51, of Whiting/Stevens Point, Wis., passed away peacefully on Saturday, April 22, 2023. He was surrounded by his loving family while under the care of Aspirus Home Care Hospice.
Paul entered this world on April 10, 1972, in Appleton, Wis., the son of William and Judith (née Tews) Mattlin of Whiting/Stevens Point. Paul began making his mark on his life of service to the Stevens Point community even before graduating from SPASH in 1990. At the age of 16, Paul decided to make a childhood dream come true when he started volunteering with the Whiting Fire Department, before transitioning to a paid on-call position when he turned 18.
While serving as a firefighter, Paul also worked for several local businesses such as Krueger Office Products, Emmons Napp, and First Financial Bank.
In May of 2000 he graduated from Mid-State Technical College with an Advanced Intensive Care Paramedic Degree. He used his education to begin working at St. Michael’s Hospital in the emergency department as a paramedic. Paul then joined the Portage County Coroner’s/Medical Examiner’s Office in 2004, ultimately obtaining the rank of chief deputy coroner in 2014.
These opportunities led him to his dream job as a firefighter/paramedic with the Stevens Point Fire Department when he was hired in 2002. Over the 20 years Paul spent with the department, he led by example. He was a hard worker, accomplishing many things while proud to serve the public, but always while having fun doing it. Paul’s sense of humor kept his crew coming back to work to a light-hearted atmosphere, yet always ready for any emergency.
In January of 2017, Paul was promoted to the rank of captain, routinely providing his crew with a steady supply of both dedication and humor, as well as meals from Pauly’s Cookbook.
Even after his retirement in August of 2022, Paul left continued to leave his mark as a brother in the Stevens Point Fire Department.
Paul married the love of his life, Wendy Fullerton, on October 9, 2004, at St. Paul Lutheran Church. Over the 18 years they were married, Wendy was Paul’s rock. She supported him in his career goals and kept him on a straight and narrow path in his daily tasks, which was no small feat. When everyone else was laughing and joking about what Paul said or did, Wendy knew just how to bring him back in line, with a quick, “Paul David.” Right about then, the rest of group knew Paul should have already left for home.
Paul and Wendy were blessed with two sons, Brady and Carson. From the moment they arrived, this high-energy duo kept their parents on their toes. Through ER visits, scrapes, and bruises, Paul navigated fatherhood with the same light-heartedness and dedication he brought to every other part of his life.
Some of his favorite moments were spent with his family camping in Eagle River, fishing, hunting, boating, and vacationing. He loved being a family man.
Paul’s hobbies always kept him moving. He enjoyed annual fishing trips with the guys, motorcycle rides with Wendy, home brewing concoctions in the garage, and golfing. These activities gave him the opportunity to spend time with family and friends. In addition to his hobbies, Paul also had many side projects including his work with his friend Todd at Check Masonry. Paul’s love of life was evident not only in his career, but also in the way he spent his free time, and the people he chose to spend it with.
His friends adored him for his sense of humor, and his willingness to help anyone out, no matter what. Whether it was a day on the boat, a backyard fire, a dip in the pool, or an evening on the town, Paul was their go-to companion. You could never be in a bad mood if Paul was along, with his infectious laugh, easy demeanor, and outrageous stories. Everyone loved him.
Paul is survived by his wife Wendy, their two sons Brady and Carson, his parents, William and Judith Mattlin of Stevens Point/Whiting; brother Greg Mattlin, of Madison; mother-in-law Pam (Lynn) Fullerton of Keshena, Wis.; many aunts, uncles, cousins, and dear friends; as well as his brothers and sisters at the SPFD.
Paul was preceded in death by his maternal and paternal grandparents and his father-in-law.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, April 28 at O’so Brewing, 1800 Plover Rd. in Plover. A social hour will run from 3-4 p.m., with a Firefighter’s Service to start at 4 p.m. A reception will follow from 5-7 p.m.
The family would like to offer a special thank you to Dr. H. Ahuja, Dr. C. Peterson, and the wonderful staff at Aspirus Cancer Center in Wausau. The family would also like to thank his amazing care team at Aspirus Home Care Hospice, including Rosalie, Wyatt, Spencer, Shawn, and Jason. You are all appreciated more than you will ever know. Thank you!!
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Stevens Point Firefighters Charitable Foundation. For more information see https://www.stevenspointfirefighters.org/charitable-foundation/ or contact Jason Pettis at [email protected] or (715) 579-0647.
