STEVEN ALLAN MATHEWS

Wasilla resident Steven Allan Mathews died in Palmer on Sept. 6, 2001.

A funeral service was held at 4 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 10, at Valley Funeral Home, 151 E. Herning Ave., in Wasilla. Pastor Jeff Wiesinger officiated at the service.

Mr. Mathews was born Jan. 12, 1949, in Bemidji, Minn. He graduated from high school and attended two years of college. He served in the United States Air Force for 22 years, retiring in 1992. His Alaska residency began on June 5, 1983 at Elmendorf Air Force Base, where he resided until 1987.

He then resided in Anchorage and Chugiak before moving to Wasilla in 1993, where he resided until the time of his death.

Mr. Mathews had been employed by the U.S. Air Force from 1968 to 1992. He then worked as a school bus driver for Laidlaw Transit from 1994 to 2001 and First Student since 2001.

His hobbies and special interests included hunting, fishing, RV camping, snowmachining, leather craft, woodworking and reading.

His family stated: "He will be greatly missed by family and friends. He could always make you laugh just by looking at him. He could always turn bad days into good."

Mr. Mathews was preceded in death by his father, Robert Lee Mathews.

He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Virginia Mathews; daughters and sons-in-law, Stephanie and John Jessen, Jennifer and Michael Spindler; son and daughter-in-law, Benjamin and Amy Mathews; mother, Angeline Podgorski of Ft. Francis, Canada; stepmother, Mary Louise "Toots" Mathews; brother, Leroy Mathews of White Bear Lake, Minn.; sister, Melody Bolin of Duluth, Minn.; and grandchildren, Tanner, Nikki, Judy, JJ, Kaylynn and Joshua.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home of Wasilla.