Matthew Spierling

Matthew Spierling, 73, of Bliss passed away at home on July 10, 2025.

Matthew was born in Petoskey and grew up and settled in Bliss with his wife, Darlene. Matt was a hard worker and always helped those in need. He and Darlene had their own firewood business, M & D Firewood, where the entire family helped to gain Money for the family. He and Darlene also worked together on others’ carpentry projects and building pole barns.

Matt was a proud member of the Operating Engineers Local 324. He took pride in all of his work, and was especially proud of his unique abilities in operating the grader. Others who worked with him were always glad when he was on the job, as their workload would lessen with his talented hands on the controls.

Matt loved his family and friends fiercely and enjoyed playing cards with a group, especially at the local casino. One could regularly find him at the Black Jack table in the wee hours of the night. He was always tinkering in his garage or buying more tools at auctions to help with his many carpentry projects. Matt could always see value in stuff that others considered junk, and many of those things later presented themselves in other projects.

Matt and his wife built his house from the ground up. Over the years, the layout of the house changed, but they never hired out, doing all of the work themselves. One year he jacked up the house and added a basement using his tractor, all while living in the house above.

Later in life, Matt enjoyed traveling. He used his talent as a grader operator to get a job in Alaska and see the beautiful state, as he and his wife had always planned. There, he befriended many and later traveled with some of these friends, visiting new states and, of course, helping them with carpentry and grading projects.

Matt is survived by his children: Tammy (Dave) Sydow, Liz (Eric) Southwell, Matthew (Tricia) Spierling, grandchildren: Adam Sydow, Kelsey (Ben) Orling, Alyssa Sydow, Alexa Southwell, Evan Southwell, Lilah Spierling and Matthew Spierling III; great granddaughter: Mabel Orling;  siblings: Dave (Linda) Spierling, Sue Smith, Ruth Wilklanski, Jane (Rog) Nyboer, Casie (Fred) Smith, Cheri (Steve) Elmhirst, Lon (Kim) Spierling, Will (Linda) Spierling, and Amy Spierling as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his wife, the love of his life, Darlene Spierling, his parents Billy and Faith Spierling, and nephews Drew Spierling, Troy Spierling and David Wilklanski.

A memorial service is being planned for the fall.

Online condolences may be addressed through www.beckfuneralhome.org