His given name is John, but he also responds to J.T., John Thomas and even Jmateka.
"When I was growing up in Belle Vernon, everyone referred to me as J.T.," said John Mateka, a 1960 graduate of Bellmar High School living in Bethel Park. "Professionally, I go by John Mateka, but legally it is John Thomas Mateka or John T. Mateka. For business communications, I use Jmateka. I think, after all these years, people know who I am."
Indeed.
But what many people may not know is the interesting life Mateka, 69, leads.
This year, for instance, he completed a 3,000-mile road trip along the southern and gulf coasts of the United States and had an opportunity to visit classmates, his sister, daughters and grandchildren along the way.
He attended the AirVenture convention in Oshkosh, Wisc., for 10 days; enjoyed a fishing trip to Highpoint Lake at Mt. Davis, Somerset County; worked with the ground crew for the B-17 tours and rides at Arnold Palmer Airport in Unity; attended the 50-year reunion of his school graduating class; and tested the waters on another fishing expedition with his grandson at Clarksville, Va.
And that was just through August.
"I like to stay busy and look for new experiences; it's as simple as that," said Mateka, who retired 14 years ago after a 35-year career in teaching. "Life has so much to offer, golden opportunities, if you will, and age should not be a detriment."
To prove that point, Mateka has these events on his calendar for the remainder of the year: a solo sky dive; a visit to the New River Gorge in West Virginia to photograph base jumpers; and a visit with his grandchildren in Montgomery, Ala., for Thanksgiving.
He's also looking forward to taking in one of the final two NASA space shuttle blastoffs in either November or February at Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Fla.
J.T. credits his parents, the late John and Anna Margaret Neil Marteka, for inspiring him.
"My father always emphasized the need to get an education so that you would have more options to make a better life for yourself and your family," he said."He demonstrated this ideal through his self-education, especially by reading. Dad progressed at the Consol coal mine in Pricedale from miner to fire boss to administrator. When the mine closed, he became a machinist at the Tube Mill at Allenport (Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel).
And during the time he was working and raising a family, he built his own house from the foundation up to a ranch style home that still stands at 4 Chestnut St. in Belle Vernon.
Mateka's older sister, Dorothy Ann Rodgers, who lives in Skidway, Ga., played a key role in his decision to become a teacher.
"As a teacher, (Dorothy) would relate the experiences of seeing through education how her students began to make better decisions in their everyday lives," Mateka said.
Mateka's younger sister, Virginia Bignell, lives in Dayton, Ohio.
Mateka's commitment to education took him to Waynesburg University for a liberal arts degree; California University of Pennsylvania for a master's degree in science; and the University of Pittsburgh for a doctorate in science education.
Mateka, who has lived in Bethel Park 35 years, retired after 35 years of teaching advanced-placement sciences at Carrick High School in Pittsburgh.
"Teaching gave me purpose, goals and motivation to introduce students to science skills and concepts that would give them the opportunity for career options and enlightenment in their own lives," he said. "At the end of the day of teaching, I felt emotionally and academically rewarded by doing for others."
Mateka's late wife, Cynthia Ruth Zabowski Mateka, also was a teacher at Carrick High School.
Mateka is the father of three daughters: Michelle Lynn Soltysiak, 38, who was born on Father's Day (June 18, 1972); Danielle Ann Dragan, 36; and Lynette Lee Murray, 34.
He has three grandchildren: Jarek Anthony Soltysiak, 7; Zachary Daniel Dragan, 6; and Trinity Ann Dragan, 4.
"They certainly keep me busy, and I love every minute of it," Mateka said of his grandchildren.
