Morris Martin Matthews

Morris Martin “Matt” Matthews, 72, of Wasilla, passed away peacefully, on Nov. 28, 2015, at Mat-Su Regional Medical Center, surrounded by the ones he laughed with, lived for and loved. On Feb. 21, 1943, Matt was born in Camino, California, to Albert and Esther Matthews. When he was barely legal to do so, Matt joined the U.S. Air Force. After basic training, Matt found the only thing he loved more than our country, his wife and his best friend Joan E. Goettl, whom he married in August of 1961.

Throughout his military career, Matt traveled the world, but fell in love with only one place, Alaska. When he retired from the Air Force in 1980, Matt made Alaska his home. He subsequently worked for the state of Alaska as a Juvenile Corrections Officer, retiring from the Department of Corrections in 1998.

Matt was a life member of the VFW Post #9365, the AmVets Post #9 and the American Legion, holding offices in each, at the both the local and state levels. He believed helping others was a gift that you gave freely and he was always quick with a joke or funny thought to help someone who was feeling down. Through his jokes, anecdotes and stories, the magnetic, dynamic, charming and funny man that Matt was will live on in us forever. We will always remember his life motto, “If you can’t dazzle ’em with brilliance, then baffle ’em with bullshit”.

In life Matt was most proud of his family. He is survived by his wife, Joan Matthews; daughter, Karlyn Herrera (Mike); son, David Matthews (Victoria); granddaughter, Amanda Matthews; grandsons, Derek and Spencer O’Neill; granddaughter, Erica Tresham (Roland); great-grandchildren, Tristen, Trenton, Willow, Paxtyn, Rory and Gage. Matt was preceded in death by his son, Riky Matthews, his parents, and his four brothers and three sisters, who we feel he has now met in heaven.

A full military service will be held at the Fort Richardson Cemetery at 1 p.m. Dec. 10, 2015, and a Celebration of Life will be held at 1 p.m. on Dec. 13, 2015, at VFW Post #9365 Wasilla, Alaska.