William ‘Bill’ Matros of Westhampton Dies October 18

William “Bill” Matros of Westhampton died on October 18. He was 80.

A beloved math teacher and basketball and tennis coach, Matros spent his entire adult life in service to the Westhampton Beach community. He delighted students by using songs like “Get Back,” “Two Outta Three Ain’t Bad,” “Luka,” “Stuck in the Middle with You” and many others to stand in for mathematical concepts.

A collegiate level basketball and soccer player in his youth, Matros turned to coaching at the start of his teaching career. His loud and intense persona belied a compassionate yet calculating leader at the top of his craft. His veterans knew that when he made them run extra laps for seemingly no reason, it was because he had bought them all pizza to devour after practice. If he ran the same rebound-outlet drill a hundred times, it became impossible for his players to get it wrong come game time.

“Mr. Matros single-handedly helped me believe in myself — on and off the court,” said Jermaine Hollman, a former student-athlete.

Nick Mangieri, Matros’s colleague in the math department, said “his enthusiasm and humor touched everyone.”

Other former students mentioned the chalk Matros wore “all over himself,” called him the “human calculator,” and declared that he was “the first teacher who told me I was good at math.”

When not teaching or coaching, Matros loved playing card games with his friends and family—particularly bridge, hearts and poker. He enjoyed taking risks like trying to shoot the moon, or bidding three no trump after the other three players had passed. After one or two hands didn’t go well, he would declare that it was time for a new game: “It’s called, Billy Wins!”

He leaves behind a legacy of countless students who remember him decades later, and a family who will miss his offerings of ice pops, his warnings that “everything takes time,” and most of all, his satisfied “ha-HA” laugh.

He is survived by Barbara, his wife of 54 years; sons Matthew and Nicholas; and four grandchildren.

Visitations were held at Werner Rothwell Funeral Home in Westhampton Beach on October 22. A prayer service was held on October 23 at the funeral home, followed by a burial ceremony at Westhampton Cemetery.