NED MATTLAGE:
GOLF PLAYER OF THE YEAR - 2005
WHERE DID YOU GROW UP?
I was born in Brooklyn in 1932 but was
raised in West Hempstead. My father was
a professional mechanical engineer and
my mother took care of my older brother,
myself, and my younger sister. I graduated
from Hempstead H.S. In 1950 where I played
football, ran track and was elected captain
of the varsity basketball team.
My first two years I made the Honor Roll.
As graduation approached I considered apply-ing
to local colleges like Hofstra and Adelphi
but was drawn to the Stevens Institute of
Technology where both my father and brother
went and then became mechanical engineers.
While receiving my engineering education I
played varsity baseball and basketball as the
sixth man. I followed my father and brother in
joining the Theta Xi fraternity, thus becoming
brothers with my father and brother who had
been members. The three of us had many
happy times together at the Hoboken, New
Jersey campus.
WHERE DID YOU WORK?
My first job was as an engineer's aide where I
was assigned to the computer room. It entailed
handling and processing IBM cards. That was
my start as a computer professional which
lasted 45 years. Many days were spent at IBM
locations learning six mainframes (hardware)
and seven programming languages (software).
I went on to programming systems at
Bell Labs, Allied Chemical, and Coca Cola.
Moving on I became a manager and direc-tor
developing their first information system
library, and was also responsible for purchas-ing.
I enjoyed my 15 year career at Coca Cola,
retiring in 1998.
WHERE DID YOU MEET MARION?
Early in my career, I met Marion at my
cousin's wedding. “The rest was history.” She
grew up in Malverne and studied music from
an early age. Marion gave piano lessons for
many years and after college, she worked as
a music therapist.
After we married in 1954 I worked at
Bell Labs in NYC. But soon the company
announced they were moving to Whippany,
New Jersey. That entailed our moving to an
apartment in South Orange. In a few years
I was offered a higher position with Allied
Chemical in New York. We both decided to
move back to Long Island where we grew up.
This time we bought a home in North Valley
Stream and I commuted each day to the city.
WHAT CAME NEXT?
I was asked to develop computer business
application software primarily at a new firm,
ICS, which dealt mostly with the garment
industry. As an example, I developed a fabric
analysis system for the Calvin Klein Company
that broke down finished goods into yards
of fabric needed to purchase. In 1967, we
bought our first house in Garden City and
11 years later we bought a larger house also
in Garden City. This is where we raised our
three wonderful daughters, Carol, Donna,
and Randie.
DESCRIBE YOUR FAMILY.
Carol became a registered nurse, married
and raised three children of her own in
East Hampton. Donna worked many years
at Avis Car rental, married and settled in
Jamesport on the North Fork. Randie is
still living in Garden City and is raising her
three children there. Our family consists of
three daughters, two granddaughters, four
grandsons, one great granddaughter and
one great grandson.
We enjoyed living in Garden City for
26 years. After each daughter moved out,
Marion and I thought about our approaching
retirement in six years. I was working for
Coca Cola at that time. We decided to buy a
condominium in Florida and become 'snow
birds.' After much research we chose a condo
on Siesta Key in Sarasota. That's when, in
1992, we sold our Garden City home and
bought an apartment in NST. For the next
10 years we enjoyed spending time both at
Siesta Key and NST.
WHAT WAS LIFE LIKE AT NST?
In 1998 I retired from Coca Cola and
became involved in committee work at NST.
My favorite committee was a seven-member
adjunct group formed to help and advise the
Board of Directors. I also enjoyed many hours
playing ping pong as well as organizing a
billiard tournament, going to the gym, and
frequent swimming.
My main activity and favorite sport has
been golf at NST. In 2005 I won the Player
of the Year award, a very thrilling and hum-bling
experience. Serving on the Golf Board
the past 15 years has been very pleasurable
and rewarding. Our snow bird life ended in
2002 when we sold our Siesta Key condo
for a variety of reasons. We then sold our
existing NST apartment and purchased a
larger one.
Our life here has been very fulfilling and
having our daughters and their families near-by
has made us very grateful. We are happy
and content with our life at the Towers!
Ned and Marion Mattlage are two of
the most respected residents at NST.
Everyone seems to know them and every-one
has something nice to say. They've
been here since 1992 and Ned has been
an active and contributing member of our
complex involved in Board and sports
activities. For 15 years he served on the
NST Golf Board.
Ned and Marion Mattlage, circa 1980
4 NORTH SHORE TOWERS COURIER ¢ September 2020