Matthew "Matt" Azzara

Matthew (Matt) Azzara passed away peacefully in his home in Menifee, California on May 24th, 2023. He was 77 years old. He was a loving father and generous with family and friends.

Matt was born in Staten Island, New York to his parents Marco (Mark) and Bertha (Betty) Azzara.

The family later moved to California to the city of South Gate, a suburb of Los Angeles, while Matt was still a child. He attended State Street Elementary School, Gage Junior High, and graduated from Huntington Park High in 1964. His early years were eventful. In Kindergarten, he was hit by a car crossing the street, he made a full recovery.

Matt’s true passion was anything related to car racing. This passion began as a teenager with slot car racing. He designed and built his own slot car track in the family garage where he could practice and fine tune his craft before racing competitively at local slot car venues. This passion eventually grew into a love for radio-controlled cars and go-karts.

Matt was a fiercely competitive RC car racer and was part of the beginning of one of the most influential RC car manufacturers in the world, Team Associated. In the early days of Team Associated, Matt was responsible for writing and designing the layout of the company newsletter. In 1977 he competed in the first ever RC World Championship and finished in sixth place.

Matt enrolled in East Los Angeles College with dreams of being an architect and eventually graduated from California State University, Los Angeles in the late 1960s.

In 1976, Matt married Jacqueline (Jackie) Suzanne Felton. They lived in Rossmoor, California for 45 years until moving to Menifee, California in 2020. They remained married for 46 years until Jackie’s passing in June 2022. They had one son Giovanni (John) Matthew Azzara. Matt became stepfather to Jackie’s five children from an earlier marriage, Robert, Timothy, Mark, Patricia (Scott), and Teresa (Schmidt) Gendle.

Matt joined the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office in 1969 at age 23. He worked for the LA County Assessor’s Office for 38 years, retiring in March 2008. During his time at the Assessor’s Office, Matt made many of his lifelong friends that continue to this day.

In his post-retirement years, Matt renewed his love for go-kart racing by joining the Vintage Kart Club of America (VKCA). He traveled throughout the West coast for meetings with members and to compete in various races. Matt was also a skilled writer, so he authored the newsletter for the VKCA and made many lifelong friendships.

Matt loved golf. He golfed nearly every day and began making custom golf clubs for family and friends.  He also enjoyed fishing, traveling, and cooking. He was a skilled chef. He loved Frank Sinatra, classical music, comedy movies, stupid “dad” jokes and spending time with his pugs Floyd and Mollie. He volunteered his time with Meals on Wheels and donated to charities like the American Red Cross.

Throughout his life Matt was a generous person. He was deeply spiritual and committed to his parish, St Hedwig, located in Seal Beach California where he had been a parishioner for over 40 years. At St Hedwig, Matt served as a Eucharistic Minister and ministered to the sick and infirmed.

Matthew will be forever in our hearts and deeply missed. May he rest in peace.

Matthew is survived by:

Brother Mark Azzara.

Children: John Azzara (Eileen). Robert Gendle (Diane), Timothy Gendle (Belinda), Mark Gendle (Nancy), Patricia Gendle Scott (Glenn), Teresa Gendle Schmidt,

Grandchildren: Alysha Gendle, Glenn Scott, Carrie Gendle Evon (Nicholas), Kyle Gendle (Stacey), Nathan Gendle (Reina), Rachel Gendle (Brad), Amy Gendle Wilde (Rich), Aaron Gendle (Natalie), Adam Gendle.

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401