Luis Diaz Matos

Luis Diaz Matos, age 92, of Hudsonville, passed away in his son Luis’ arms on Saturday, February 28, 2026, and went to be with the Lord.

He proudly served his country for 30 years in the United States Army, retiring with the distinguished rank of Sergeant Major (E-9). During his military career, he served during both the Korean Conflict and the Vietnam War and was stationed in Jackson, South Carolina; Fort Bragg, North Carolina; Berlin, Germany; Panama; and Italy.

After returning to the United States, he and his family made their home in Jenison, Michigan, where he was stationed at the Armory on 44th Street. Following his active service, he continued to mentor young men and women through teaching ROTC. Committed to lifelong learning, he earned his degree in business from Aquinas College.

He cherished time with his family and had a deep love for travel, often creating lasting memories along the way. He enjoyed attending sporting events and was happiest when working with his hands, especially fixing and restoring cars. His strong work ethic, steady leadership, and devotion to his family will be remembered by all who knew him.

He was preceded in death by the love of his life, Ada. He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Blanca and Brian Nemecek, Luis and Kelly Diaz; grandchildren, David, Natalie, Nicole, Gabriel and Julie, Zachary, Justin, Louie, Braden, Alaina; great-grandchildren, Mitchell, Elijah, Makayla, Adriel, Edenai, Saphina; sisters, Maria de los Angeles, Luisa Diaz Matos; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Maria and Vicente Carreja, Teresa and Angel Rios, Cana Martinez, Alberto Vasquez, Pablo and Sylvia Vasquez, Santos and Polonia Vasquez; and many loving nieces, nephews, and cousins. Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, March 7, at Matthysse Kuiper DeGraaf Funeral Home (Grandville) 4145 Chicago Dr. SW with Pastor David Christian officiating. Relatives and friends may visit with the family on Saturday from 1-2 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service. The burial will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery.