Obituary of Thomas V. Mathews

Graveside services will be held on Thursday for Tom Mathews who passed away on Sept. 24th in San Leandro, CA. He was 73. Tom was born and raised in Santa Cruz. He graduated from Santa Cruz High in 1961 where he excelled in auto shop. Tom's pride and joy was a 1950 Ford he bought for $100.00 and lovingly refurbished. He enlisted into the Marine Corps shortly after graduation. He was present during the Gulf of Tonkin Incident in 1964 on the USS Ticonderoga where he served as a crew chief jet engine mechanic. He was the owner of Pacific Coast Drywall for many years. Tom is preceded in death by his father Donald F. Mathews, paternal grandparents, Theodore V. & Hazel Whipple Mathews, maternal grandparents, Ada Gomes Bottorff and Michael B. Madden, aunt Vivian Stoffey, aunty Theodora (Daw) Mathews Phillipsen, aunty Jane Mathews Morris. Tom is survived by his devoted and loving wife of 24 years Elvira Mathews, daughter Michele Mathews Perez (Gabe), granddaughters, Richele, Mariesa, Shannon and Great Granddaughter Madisyn, his mother Patricia and brother Daniel Mathews (Stephanie). He is also survived by his nephew Zachary, niece Marissa, aunt Maryann Madden Stewart, cousins Steve Concanon, Ann Leverich, Barbara Stoffey, Carol Phillipsen Galbraith, Debra Phillipsen Bell. Visitation will be held at Santa Cruz Memorial, 1927 Ocean St., Santa Cruz on Thursday, Oct. 6th 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. followed by burial with military honors. Tom loved life. He loved his family. He didn't know a stranger; in fact he'd give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. May that memory be forever eternal.