Matei Raica Jr.

He grew up in Gradinari, Caras-Severin where he married at twenty years old and had two children, Marcel and Carmen. After his marriage fell apart after six years, he tried to cross the Danube River, for the first time, and swim across to freedom in Yugoslavia. He was caught and spent one year in prison but his spirit never diminished and when he got out of prison, he tried again and succeeded.

Eventually, Matei ended up in Austria in 1977 in an emigration camp and got to America on February 27, 1978. He established himself in Cleveland and a year later, met his new wife Margie-Geta and married on March 26, 1979. They were married for 47 years filled with the joys of raising a family of five; Marcel, Carmen, Danny, Laura, and Matthew. They started several businesses together, built several houses, and retired with a satisfactory pay off of their hard work.

All together, Matei and Margie had five children, nine grandchildren, and nine great grandchildren which all loved and cherished them greatly. Sadly, life ended for Matei quite unexpectedly after one month of fighting acute leukemia; a genetic disease that killed his own father twenty-seven years ago.

He will be greatly missed as a pillar of the community and everyone that knew him as a great human being. Rest in peace Matei and thank you for the memories...

A visitation will be held at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, 200 West Beardsley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, US, on March 9, 2026, from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

A funeral service will take place at St John the Baptist Romanian Orthodox, 3749 W Behrend Dr, Glendale, AZ 85308, US, on March 10, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 pm.

A committal service will be held at Phoenix Memorial Park and Mortuary, 200 West Beardsley Road, Phoenix, AZ 85027, US, on March 10, 2026, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm.