Angels Camp, CA…Matilda Middleton September 13, 1924 ~ February 23, 2026 (age 101).  Matilda Middleton passed away peacefully in Angels Camp on Monday February 23, 2026, with her family by her side. Mat was born in Los Angeles CA on September 13, 1924, to Nicola and Rosalia Salvato, who were first generation immigrants from Sicily. Mat was the third oldest to a brother and two sisters.

She graduated from Theodore Roosevelt High School in LA, in 1943 and worked in her dad’s grocery store. On Labor Day in 1946 she married Henry “Hank” Middleton. They moved to Texas in 1949 and back to California in 1952 after moving to Oakland and then Walnut Creek in 1954, by this time they had three children, Joyce, Dick and Bob.

Hank saw an ad in the Oakland newspaper that had a business for sale by Dave Copello in Angels Camp called Copello’s Calaveras Mercantile. They moved to Angels Camp in 1955, and the store became Middleton’s Calaveras Mercantile, now known simply as Middleton’s.

In 1961 the store relocated to its present location. Middleton’s Mark Twain Shopping Center owns from Angels Food Market to the Angels Camp Library Branch. It has evolved over the years from a clothing store, fabric store, pharmacy gift shop, beauty shop, coffee shop, and Ace Hardware. Mat was very proud that her youngest son Bobby and Grandson Nicolas wanted to carry on their family legacy.

Throughout her life with Hank, they saw the world on General Electric Dealer trips, and later the country in their RV with friends. They enjoyed square dancing, playing cards, golfing with friends and spoiling their dogs. They retired back to Hank’s roots near Indio and purchased a mobile home in Desert Hot Springs CA where they spent the winters.

They always welcomed family and friends to visit and enjoy the warm weather. The grandkids especially loved being there to swim, going to Tony Roma’s and having Grandma spoil them with ice cream, Kool-Aid, Oreos and playing Uno and Domino’s even though Grandpa always cheated.

They moved back to Angels Camp to be closer to family and the Catholic Church where she was active in Helping Hands, Adoration and every Monday with her church friends counted the weekly collection. Hank passed away in 2012. After Hank’s passing, she fell in love with a rescue dog she named Mia. Mat continued to live by herself, then split her time in Stockton with her son Dick and Mary and daughter Joyce in Fernley. She always wanted to come back to Angels Camp and then made her home at Foothill Village.

Mat is survived by her children Joyce, Dick (Mary), Rich Cathcart, Bob (Susan), 12 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren and 6 great-great grandchildren. She was proceeded in death by her husband Hank, great-grandson Roland Arthur, son Curley Middleton and daughter-in-law Linda Middleton, son-in-law David Deem, daughter-in-law Roz Cathcart, her parents and siblings.

A viewing will be on Monday March 2nd from 1:00 to 6:00pm at Angels Memorial Chapel in Angels Camp. Rosary follows at 6:00pm. The funeral mass will be Tuesday March 3rd at 10:00am St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Angels Camp.

Graveside service will be at the Catholic Cemetery family only. All are invited to the lunch reception immediately following the church hall.

In lieu of flowers the family is asking for donations to St. Patrick’s Helping Hands P.O. Box 576 Angels Camp CA. 95222 or a charity.

The family would like to thank all their friends for their love and support. A special thank you to Angelica and her caring staff at Foothill Village. Also, thank you to her friends/residents and her table mates who she looked forward to seeing every day.

Thank you to the Hospice Nurses for your compassionate care of our mother.