Don Matthews

Don Matthews, 91, passed away from pneumonia at St. Patrick Hospital on Dec. 7, 2014.

Don was born in Los Angeles to Justina and Euel Matthews. He always wanted to be a cowboy, so he spent a year on a ranch in Fort Benton. He returned to L.A. and joined the Civilian Conservation Corps. Realizing that he wanted more, he took a welding course, becoming a certified welder working for the shipyards in Long Beach. Shortly after that, he enlisted in the Marines at the onset of World War II including the atoll of Tarawa in the west Pacific, where he proudly served his country.

After the war he got his GED and enrolled in City College, where he met his life partner, Gloria. He got his bachelor's degree at Cal State while working for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, where he made sergeant.

In 1954, Don and Gloria moved to Missoula, where he attended law school. He graduated from the University of Montana in 1957. They then moved to Helena, where he was an attorney for the Highway Department and VA. Don wanted a different path in his life, so he moved his family back to Missoula in 1965, where he practiced as a private attorney, retiring in 1990.

Don had a passion for the outdoors and loved hunting and fishing. He especially loved fishing the Pacific Ocean and made many trips to Westport, Washington.

Don is survived by his wife, Gloria; his four children, Pam Matthews, Mark (Cathy) Matthews, Marcy Fisher (Bud deceased) and John (Katia) Matthews; brother, Dr. Wayne (Julie) Matthews; and sister, Marilyn (Dan) Vintch.

A private family memorial will be held in the summer of 2015.
Read Don Matthews's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.