Silk Saint John Matta Deckard

Silk Saint John Matta Deckard, 59, of Erie, passed away Thursday, February 26, 2026 at Saint Vincent Hospital. He was born April 13, 1966 in Erie, a son of the late John Silk and Joan "Matta D." Deckard.

Silk graduated from Saint Boniface Grade School in 1981, Mercyhurst High School in 1985, and attended Penn State Behrend. Silk was a lifelong resident of Greene Township, until 2023 when he moved into the city of Erie with his mother.

Silk dedicated many years to assisting his parents with their printing and sculpting of their artwork, and mastering the skill of the printing press. He committed his time volunteering with the MS Society, the Red Cross of Erie, the Erie Arts Festival, CelebrateErie, and the WQLN PBS Auction.

Silk had a profound love for comic culture; he was a familiar face at Comic Conventions, proudly showcasing his own booth, "Sapiens Treasure Cave," at ComicConErie. He was an avid fan of Science Fiction, Paleontology, and comics, he was as a true "Trekkie." Silk also relished the adventures of traveling around the world with his family, and he took immense pride in his Irish and French heritage.

He is survived by his sister, Nicole Stanger (Thomas); nephew, Deckard Stanger (Jaquelyn); great-nephew, Ivan Stanger; and surrogate nephew, S. Vince Palermo. He is also survived by several cousins; his two cats, Amidala and Sola, and all his friends from the Sci-Fi/Comic Book Community along with the Erie Art Community.

Friends are invited to call on Friday, March 6th, at the John R. Orlando Funeral Home, Inc., 2122 Raspberry Street, from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Burial will be private in Calvary Cemetery.