Mateas Toraya, 87, passed away on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2004, in Dowling Park. He was born in Williamstown, Vt. on Dec. 5, 1916, to Ramon and Soledad Gomez Toraya. Toraya was a lifelong lover of nature and an avid outdoorsman. He graduated from Spauling High School in Barre, Vt. in 1934, served in the CCC before entering the Navy where he served in World War II and retired as a Chief Warrant Officer in 1956. He graduated from the University of Miami, then taught high school mathematics in South Florida for 15 years before he retired to Central Florida. Toraya was preceded in death by his first wife Wanda and his second wife Lena.

Toraya will always be loved and remembered for his kind and caring ways by his children, Wanda Toraya (Butch) Fallin of Live Oak; Cecilia Donofrio of Ocala, Cynthia Toraya (Steve) Cochran of Bozeman, Mont. and Ramon Toraya of Ocala; sisters Rose Willett (Lionel) and Paquina (Pete) Peterson of Barre, Vt.; grandchildren, Kelli Spears, Kurt Spears, Shelly Donofrio and Dustin Toraya; and two great-grandsons, Taylor McCall and Clint Spears.

Memorial services were held at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell on Dec. 7, with military honors.