Matthew Bacon

Matthew L. Bacon, age 60, of Fairview, died peacefully at home on April 24, 2015 with his family at his side. Matt was born in Erie on September 7, 1954, the son of Nancy Lance Bacon and the late F. Warner Bacon.

He graduated from Proctor Academy in Andover, NH, before attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute for Mechanical Engineering. He was the great grandson of Frank Bacon, who founded Erie Tool Works in 1902. As the fourth generation to work at the family business, Matt began as a draftsman during his summers off from school. He was promoted to manager of Erie Tool Works in 1978 and VP of Operations for both Lakeview Forge Co. and Erie Tool Works in 1993, until becoming President and CEO of both companies in 1998, a position Matt held for17 years. Matt was well-respected as a businessman in the Erie community throughout his forty year career.

In June of 1982, he married his beautiful wife, Gina, and together they raised a family of five children. An avid outdoorsman, Matt enjoyed hunting, fishing, boating, and sailing. During the summer, he spent time in Georgian Bay, Canada, and Martha’s Vineyard and in the winter, he visited Sanibel, Florida. He loved listening to music and played several instruments. He was a member of the Manchester Heights Board and previously served on the Erie Yacht Club board.

In addition to his father, Matt was preceded in death by a brother E. Warner Bacon.

Survivors include his mother, Nancy Bacon of Erie; his wife of 32 years, Gina; five children, Everett Bacon of Philadelphia, Ashley Bacon of Erie, Natalie Bacon of Washington, D.C., Abby Bacon of Fairview and Molly Bacon of Columbia, SC; two sisters, Nan E. Bacon of Oak Bluffs, MA; and Catherine “Kitty” Koch and her husband Jim of Wellesley, MA; one nephew, Christopher Koch and one niece, Carrie Koch.

Friends may call at the Burton Westlake Funeral Home, 3801 West 26th Street, (at Powell Avenue,) on Friday May 1st from 2 to 5 pm and 6 to 8 pm and invited to attend a service on Saturday, May 2nd, at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church, 1070 Dutch Rd, Fairview, PA 16415 at 11 am with the Reverend Elisabeth S. Fitzgibbons and Reverend Keith Sundberg officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Erie County Historical Society or the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy. Inurnment will be at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in Fairview.