In Memoriam
Long-time Matick Sales Consultant Will Be Missed.
Join Us For His Memorial Celebration Oct. 30.
Dear Friends:
It is with much sadness that I share with you news of the passing of our dear friend and colleague of 23 years, Rich Curran, 51, who suffered a heart attack on Oct. 6.
We’re all devastated and will miss him deeply.
Rich was a one-of-a-kind talent and soul. He acted with a servant’s heart to help others, whether customers, teammates, friends or strangers.
As the “Go-to-Guy” for all things automotive for us and his hundreds of customers, he truly was the face of George Matick Chevrolet to so many people for nearly a quarter century. He is irreplaceable.
We’ve received an incredible outpouring of genuine appreciation and prayers for him and his loved ones.
While we’ve been reflecting on the many ways that he impacted each of us, we’ve also learned a lot more about him from the scores of others whom he touched with his warm smile and helpful spirit.
For me, Rich was my ever-present source of confidence and knowledge for nearly my entire career in retail automotive. He was our team’s own secret, powerful and unique weapon.
Rich constantly studied and incredibly retained mountains of information and understanding about our Chevy – and our competition’s – products, features, costs, household auto-budget alternatives, and so much more.
Rich was always a source of calm reassurance and a frequent compass for me, as he helped guide our years-long voyage to becoming a great retail automotive operation.
Our dealership will never be the same to me without Rich’s smiling presence and heartfelt generosity.
He was born a Chevy dealer’s grandson in Manistique, and lived and studied the dealership business from childhood through college at Northwood University.
He worked with his dad, Chris, another “car guy,” at the family's Curran Chevrolet dealership in the Upper Peninsula. Rich, who loved hunting and fishing, joined our Matick Chevy team in 1995.
- Rich’s family will conduct his funeral services on Wednesday, Oct. 24 in Manistique, his hometown.
- Our Matick team will host a celebration memorial for Rich at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 30 at the dealership.
Everyone is invited to attend the Matick celebration to remember Rich’s great sense of humor, wonderful personality and the many funny stories about him and his ways.
Please contact me with any questions or personal stories about Rich that I can share at our celebration memorial.
Anyone who would normally contact Rich for assistance regarding their existing vehicle, or to consult with him regarding the purchase, lease, service or repair of a vehicle, should contact our New Car Sales Manager, Pat Woolworth, at 313-532-2817, or our Customer Care Center Manager, Jeff Frizzell, at 313-354-8211.
You can also always contact Sales Director Paul Zimmermann at 313-532-5016, or me as well with any concerns and/or issues.
We’ll do our best to deliver the high level of service and advice that Rich consistently provided.
Many have asked how they can help support Rich’s beloved son, Chase, age 10, with his long-term special medical needs and education.
We’ve helped to establish the Rich & Chase Curran Charitable Fund and encourage you to make a GoFundMe donation at this link. Thanks for your support and kindness.
Best Regards.
– Karl
