James Matthew Paffrath, 47, of Sunnyview Home, formerly of the ARC residential homes, died Wednesday at the Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born July 26, 1958, in Butler, he was a son of Sybil H. Graham Paffrath and the late Edward J. Paffrath.

He had worked at PARC Productions in Butler for more than 20 years.

Mr. Paffrath enjoyed music, dancing and swimming. He was an active participant in the Special Olympics and had won a Bronze Medal in freestyle swimming at the International Special Olympics in Brockport, N.Y.

He was a member of St. Peter Roman Catholic Church.

Surviving are his mother of Butler; two brothers and a sister, Edward J. Jr. and Stephen G. Paffrath and Mrs. Larry (Mary Victoria) White, all of Butler; eight nieces and nephews; six grandnieces and grandnephews; and numerous cousins

<B>PAFFRATH</B>—<B> </B>Friends of James Matthew Paffrath, who died Wednesday, July 12, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Peter Roman Catholic Church, 127 Franklin St., with the Rev. Pierre Falkenhan officiating. Burial will follow at St. Peter Parish Cemetery.The Women's Council of St. Peter will recite the rosary at 9:10 a.m. Saturday at the church.Memorial donations may be made to the Special Olympics, P.O. Box 2561, Butler, PA 16003.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.