George E. Mattingly - Obituary

eorge E. Mattingly, Jr. a cherished husband, father, and esteemed mechanical engineer, passed away peacefully in Washington, D.C., January 25, 2025. He was born August 9, 1938 in Washington, D.C., to George and Mabel Mattingly. A devout Catholic, George attended Blessed Sacrament and St. Anselm’s Abbey School. He completed his undergraduate degree in engineering at the University of Maryland and his doctorate at Princeton University. George spent his career at the National Bureau of Standards, now known as the National Institute of Science and Technology. It was during his time as a Terrapin that George met Catherine Schulz, then an undergraduate at Trinity College in D.C. A few years later they met again in N.Y.C. when Catherine was an editor at Good Housekeeping Magazine, and luckily she forgave his assumption that she was a secretary. They were married for 56 years, and their marriage is a testament to the power of love, loyalty, and a wife’s ability to survive a husband’s multi-year obsession with marathon-running. (He would like it to be noted here that his PR was 2:52 in London. My mom would like it to be noted that she is rolling her eyes.) George’s love of engineering and measurement extended into other parts of his life. He perfected the art of grilling steak over charcoal, played 8-ball and darts with merciless precision, and could eat hardshell crabs with unparalleled efficiency. No one remembers him ever conversing while eating crabs. He built his own road bike and clocked many miles along the C&O Canal. In later years, George and Catherine (his stoker, whom he called “Stoke”) would ride their tandem, and tandemonium ensued. (My mom would like me not to mention the time they fell—bike and all—into the Reflecting Pool after my father misjudged the edge.) George had a strong sense of integrity that guided him throughout. He showed up when it was important, he schlepped stuff when needed, and he could fix anything. He loved to figure things out, whether it was the daily word Jumble or the mystery of the pyramids. He was a Civil War buff who for a time loved to recite the Gettysburg Address from memory. He loved baseball, both playing it and watching it, especially the Nats. As his health began to fail in his final years, George discovered his artistic side, taking painting and drawing classes at Knollwood, his retirement home. Popular subjects of his work included cars, bikes, and tools. More than one sketch is titled “Get a grip.” George is survived by his wife and two children, Virginia and Kate, known often as “the runner” and “the dancer” while growing up. He took immense pride in their accomplishments over the years, and this carried over to his grandkids, Leo and Sadie, who refer to their grandparents as Cack and Geo. The four of them spent many summers on Long Beach Island riding the waves, playing putt putt, winning junk at arcades, and trying to dunk Cack in the bay. Leo’s pursuit of chemical engineering at Pitt and Sadie’s prowess on the softball field made Geo very, very happy. Everyone who remembers him is asked to celebrate his life in their own way. Raising a glass of their favorite drink—in George’s case a dry Bombay gin martini straight up with a twist—would be quite appropriate.