Lou Mattingly

Louis Wayne Mattingly, 82, of Aurora, passed from this life surrounded by family on June 12, 2025.

Lou was born to Helen and Bill Mattingly on August 25, 1942. He attended elementary school in Osawatomie and graduated from Osawatomie High School in 1960. After attending the University of Kansas and Coffeyville Junior College, he married Joanne Marie Lohr on April 16, 1966, and relocated to Colorado.

As the years went on, Lou worked several jobs until finding work at Yellow Freight, first as an office manager, then as a sales account manager for 30 years until his retirement in 2001. During this time, Lou also was coach for his kids’ basketball teams and served as athletic director at St. Pius X School. He loved the Kansas Jayhawks, all Denver sports teams and was a special designee of the Denver Boxing Association. He enjoyed live theater and music, and set aside time to go see a movie with friends or family, then go talk about the film afterward. He was a keen exterior lawn designer and threw himself into yard projects with extraordinary gusto.

After his retirement, Lou truly thrived. He worked as a barista at Diedrich’s Coffee to pass his hard-earned free time, and it became a labor of love. He brought together the people and workers who came into his shop and treated them like family. At the same time, Lou went back to college to continue his studies in history. Lou also got to voice several projects around this time, and later received his first feature film credit for his voiceover role in Falling Stars (2023).

Lou was a curious thinker and seeker–a lifelong learner. While attending Metro State University, he worked as a teacher’s assistant to Professor Charles Angeletti, helping mentor and tutor students with writing and historical context. Lou made the most of this education, encouraging others to explore history to avoid making the mistakes of the past to create a future of peace and justice for all.

His love of the arts empowered him to join a men’s writing group, where he developed his writing voice while forming deep bonds with the men in the group who quickly became lifelong friends. He also performed with the 10:30 Catholic Community choir and loved to be able to sing with his community.

Lou Mattingly wasn’t just our dad, brother, uncle, or grandfather. He was a thoughtful student of the world and of other people. He is so loved. He will be utterly missed.

Lou is survived by his children, grandchildren and their spouses, and great-grandchildren: Shannon Kennedy, Michael Mattingly (Kelly Mattingly), and Ryan Mattingly (Emily Jackson); eight grandchildren, Andrew (Shannon); Jack and wife Kaylee, Lily and husband Riley, Sophia and Anna (Michael); and Dylan, Elody, and Sparrow (Ryan); two great grandchildren, Audrey and Kieran (Jack); and sister Mary Brenner. He was preceded in death by his parents, sister Janie Mattingly, and his wife Joanne.

Celebration of Life

Service: Saturday, July 12, 2025, 11 a.m.

Newcomer East Funeral Home, 190 Potomac St., Aurora, CO 80011

Newcomer is honored to serve the family of Lou Mattingly during this time. Please return to this page in the future for more information.

Please join Lou's service via livestream by clicking HERE.