Juan Roberto Mato, 76, of Orwigsburg, passed away Wednesday at home after a lengthy battle with cancer, surrounded by his loving family.Born in Caracas, Venezuela, May 5, 1940, he was a son of Juan Mato Deulofeu and Hilda de Pinto. He spent part of his youth in Spain, where he loved swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. Juan was a graduate of Peekskill Military Academy and earned a chemical engineering degree from Drexel University. While at Drexel, he competed for the university on their soccer, wrestling and lacrosse teams.Juan married Susan M. Olmes, Orwigsburg, on March 13, 1965. They were married for 51 years. He worked as a construction project manager for Exxon Research and Development, as well as Hoffmann-La Roche Pharmaceuticals. These jobs took him all over the world until he retired in 2006.In his free time, Juan enjoyed playing soccer, skiing, golfing, gardening, biking in the country and traveling the world. He passionately cheered for his favorite soccer team, FC Barcelona. He also adored his grandchildren, Lila, Lucie, Anna and Owen.Surviving, in addition to his wife, Susan, are a son, Shawn and daughter-in-law, Anne; daughter, Jennifer and son-in-law, Matthew Connolly; grandchildren, Lila and Lucie Mato and Anna and Owen Connolly; a sister, Beatriz Mato de Perez; in-laws, Frank S. Olmes and wife, Janice, Barbara Olmes Lafko, James Olmes, and Philip Olmes and wife, Priscilla; nieces and nephews.Private services will be held by the family. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Sarcoma Foundation of America, 9899 Main St., Suite 204, Damascus, MD 20872, curesarcoma.org or the VNA Health System, 21 W. Independence St., Shamokin, PA 17871, where he was cared for in the last few months of his life. Hamilton Breiner Funeral Home and Cremation Services Inc., Orwigsburg, are entrusted with the arrangements.

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