Matti Jean Palluconi

Funeral mass for Matti Palluconi will be held on Monday, April 20, at 10:00am at St. Cecilia Catholic Church in Claremore, OK. A rosary will be held on Sunday, April 19, at St. Cecilia Catholic Church at 6:00pm. 

Matti Jean (Skinner) Palluconi, 83, of Claremore, Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on April 16, 2026.

Matti was born on September 17, 1942, in Wellford, Arkansas, the third of six children. She spent her childhood in southeast Arkansas, graduating from Eudora High School in 1960. In seventh grade, Matti decided to become a math teacher, which is exactly what she did. As the first in her family to attend college, Matti received her bachelors degree from Arkansas A&M (now the University of Arkansas at Monticello) in 1964, majoring in math and education. Matti’s life-long passion was teaching math to middle school students. In 1964, Matti moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, beginning her teaching career at Nimitz Junior High and meeting her future husband, Edward Palluconi. Matti and Ed married on July 2, 1966. Matti subsequently taught in additional school districts, including in Oklahoma City, Jenks, and Claremore. In 1977, Matti joined Oologah-Talala Public Schools, where she taught eighth grade math for 17 years—initiating both the eighth grade algebra program and middle school computer classes.

Following her retirement in 1994, Matti remained active in the education field, severing on the Oologah-Talala School Board (where she later served as board chairman); the board of the Oologah-Talala School Foundation; the Teacher Retirement System Board of Trustees; and many leadership roles in both the Rogers County Retired Educators and the Oklahoma Retired Educators Association (OREA). She was a fierce advocate for retired teachers and education, often lobbying state legislators on education issues. Matti never stopped teaching math to others, and she loved tutoring adults who were preparing for math-related tests, including the GED or other certification tests, and swelled with pride in their accomplishments.

Matti also devoted her time and talents to St. Cecelia’s Catholic Church, helping cook funeral dinners and other meals—often preparing for groups of over 50 people. She was known for her bread baking, and her cinnamon bread was always a favorite of friends, family, and her church community. Matti volunteered in many ways at her church, and also served as the President of the Tulsa Diocesan Council of Catholic Women.

Matti is predeceased by her loving husband Edward L. Palluconi, her parents (Hazel Manning Skinner and William M. Skinner), four of her siblings (Deann Cingolani; Nena Johnson; Billie Faye Skinner; and William M. Skinner, Jr), three nieces and nephews (Sonia Reginelli; Trina Cingolani, and Jeff Cingolani). She is survived by her sister, Pippa Evans, her children (Joseph Palluconi and Lisa Palluconi), their spouses (Ginger Shepherd and Aaron Stuber), three grandchildren (Jase Palluconi, Greydon Stuber, and Graham Stuber), sister-in-law Josie (Palluconi) Calcari, nieces and nephews (Jodie Downen; Philip Cingolani, Bob Kleinbeck, Seth Kleinbeck, William Skinner, Lou Ann Duval, and Mary Ann Hofer), and many great nieces and nephews.