Dwight Anthony Mattox, 70, passed away peacefully at home on Saturday, July 6th 2024, surrounded by his loving family. Dwight was born on August 12,1953, in Miami, Florida to Ida Mae Kemp and Nathaniel Mattox. He spent his childhood in Liberty City where he was raised by his grandfather Nicholas and grandmother Ida M Kemp.

Dwight's strong work ethic started at the age of 12 and continued after he graduated from Miami Northwestern High School. Dwight would serve his country as a staff sergeant in the United States Marine Corps, and was honorably discharged in April of 1978.

While stationed in California, Dwight met the love of his life Phyllis and they would briefly relocate to Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania before settling down and starting a family in his hometown of Miami, Fl.

Dwight began a career with Florida Power and Light (FPL) in 1981, and would spend the next 43 years leaving an indelible mark on everyone he encountered. He was honored and proud to serve as the President for IBEW Local Union 359 from 2002 to 2017 and the system council U-4 from 2005-2017.

In these elected roles, he was the union's chief negotiator responsible for helping to resolve longstanding grievances at Turkey Point Power plant (and elsewhere). The resolution of these grievances which were previously deemed "unresolvable", saved incalculable dollars for the company, avoiding arbitrations, and restoring employee morale for all employees involved.

One of the more difficult and dangerous tasks performed by FPL field personnel is switching. Switching involves operating equipment to interrupt or start current flow on high voltage circuits. In FPL's early years several employees were hurt, maimed, or killed performing these tasks. In the mid 90's, Dwight became a "subject matter expert" and lead switching instructor. In this important role, Dwight trained union and management employees side by side for nearly 30 years, helping employees safely provide and restore power to FPL's more than 5 million customers.

In 2011, Dwight helped to lead Dade County's 4 operations yards ( North Dade, West Dade, Central Dade and South Dade) achieve "OSHA injury free" for the first and only time ever. A feat many thought impossible, helping FPL and its workers move closer to their goal of Zero Today!

Dwight's greatest legacy and the most important thing to him besides his wife of 49 years, are his children, grandchildren and great grandchild. He found immense joy in knowing that the values he instilled in his three children are being passed down to the next generation. Dwight (lovingly known as Big Papa to his grandchildren) enjoyed their annual outing to the Dade county youth fair and teaching them his favorite hobbies of hunting and fishing during his spare time. Dwight believed that if you gave a man a fish he ate for a day but, if you taught a man to fish he ate for a lifetime. Dwight also looked forward to blessing his grandchildren financially every birthday, Christmas and when it was time for the tooth fairy to pay a visit.

Dwight was preceded in death by his mother Ida Mae Kemp, his father Nathaniel Mattox, grandfather Nicholas Kemp, grandmother Ida M Kemp, and brother Ted Kemp.

He leaves to cherish his memory wife Phyllis Mattox, daughters Jamila McCoy, Danelle Harrison (Anner), son Dwight Mattox II (Cynthia), grandchildren, Myles Millsap (Jimia), Nicole Crapp, Dwight Mattox III, Racquel Harris, Daniel Mattox, Jonathan McCoy II, Deziray Mattox, Jackson McCoy, Alyssa Arce, great grandson Chance Bell, sisters Betty Jo Reese (Roosevelt), Claretha Flowers (Mark), Marie Mattox, Sabrina Sinclair, Brothers Derek Kemp, Carnell Mattox and a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws and friends.