James John Matusiak Jr.

He is survived by his wife, Pamela (nee Denning) Matusiak; children Anna (18), Evelyn (16), and Ian (12); his parents, James Sr. & Ellen Matusiak; grandmother, Louise (John) Matusiak; brother Paul (Kelly) Matusiak; sisters Carrie Sullivan and Kristin (Dan) Blaskovitz; numerous nieces and nephews, the extended Denning Family, and far too many friends to mention.

He was the loving husband of 25 years to Pam and a very proud father to Anna, Evelyn, and Ian. He will forever be loved and remembered by his family and lifelong friends. Pam was the love of his life, his high school, college, and forever sweetheart. Their marriage took them from Illinois to Bermuda and then back stateside to Austin, St. Louis, and Dallas.

Together they had more pets than homes, but nothing was loved more than their children. James valued the unique and special connection he had with each of them, and being their Dad was his passion and purpose in life. He was also very much adored by his many nieces and nephews, as Uncle Jimmy was playful, loving, and inspiring to them over the years.

James was raised by his proud and loving parents in Orland Park, IL. He was the oldest of 4 children. As a youngster, he took pride in being the big brother, with a persona that was a healthy mix of brotherly love and good-natured teasing.

He attended Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, IL, and the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign, where he majored in Actuarial Science and was a leader within the Pi Kappa Alpha Fraternity. He graduated early from college and cultivated many lifelong friendships and an undying love for the Fighting Illini.

After college, James began his career at Allstate and, through dedicated studies, quickly became a Fellow of the Casualty Actuarial Society. After Allstate, he was a respected leader within the reinsurance industry for esteemed firms like Renaissance Reinsurance, KPMG, and Guy Carpenter. Most recently, James was proud to be part of the team at Howden Tiger.

As an adult, he had many hobbies and interests, but none more special to him than his love for music and playing his guitars. His sharp mind and love of math made him a great poker player. He was a person who never hesitated to buy you dinner or give you a shoulder to cry on. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

A celebration of James’ wonderful life is planned for June 2023 in Chicago.

In lieu of flowers, an Education Fund has been established for the Matusiak children and can be accessed through this link: https://www.gofundme.com/f/james-matusiak-matusiak-children-education-fund?member=24754099.