Matthew J. Yuricich, 89, Veteran & Oscar Winning Artist
Matthew J. Yuricich, 89, of Woodland Hills, California and formerly of Lorain, passed away peacefully Monday May 28, 2012 at the Motion Picture Home in Woodland Hills.
Matt was born January 19, 1923 in Lorain and graduated from Lorain High School in 1941. He served with the US Navy during WWII as an Ordinanceman First Class aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nassau in the South Pacific. After graduating from Miami University in June 1949, he attended UCLA for post grad courses.
He secured a job in the movie industry with 20th Century Fox as a gifted artist and worked in special effects making matte paintings for movies. He worked on more than 200 films and was awarded an Oscar at the Academy Awards for the movie “Logans Run” and it was presented to him by actor Roy Scheider. Matt was also nominated for the award for his work on “Close Encounters of the Third Kind”.
Matt had a passion for sports Despite not playing football at Lorain High School, he made the Miami University football team and played with Ara Parseghian who later became the head coach at Notre Dame University. Matt was an avid Archer and set many records including several in the Senior Olympics. Matt’s winning career in Archery began in 1961 when he won the Castaways Tournament. The next year he captured the 1962 Sahara-Colt NFAA Indoor National. During the 1960’s, he won the NAA-York Double American which stood for many years before his records were topped.
Matt is a member of the Lorain Sports Hall of Fame and is in the Black River Historical Society. He received an honorary Doctorate Degree from Miami University and was a past Alumnus of the Year.
He is survived by his children Lisanne Yuricich of Seattle, Washington, Tanja Kanoa of Bellingham, Washington, Mark Yuricich of Topanga, California, Dirk Yuricich of S. Lake Tahoe, Nevada and Dana Yuricich of London, England, 8 grandchildren and brothers Frank and Joe Yuricich, both of Lorain and Richard Yuricich of Cape Cod, Massachusetts. He was preceded in death by his parents Anthony and Anna Yuricich (nee Plesivac) and sisters Rose Jancar and Geraldine Ebenschweller.
Private family services were held at the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Ave, Lorain. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery where military honors were conducted by VFW Post #451 and American Legion Post #30, both of Lorain.
Online condolences can be made at www.gluvna.net.