|
|
| Pawnee Nation > Veteran's > Mathews Services
Directions to Comanche Nation Complex
|
OBITUARYreprinted by permission of The Lawton Constitution and Carolyn Wilson
| CACHE --
Mr. Matthews died Friday, March 14, 2008, in Lawton. He was born to William and Nannie (Curleychief) Mathews on May 11, 1919, in Pawnee. His Pawnee Indian Name was "Koot- ooks-Tah- Kah" meaning "White Bear". He graduated from Glencoe High School in 1938. He attended Haskell Institute in Kansas, where he received a business certificate in 1946. He married Darlene Joyce Codopony on Aug. 28, 1999, in Lawton. He was a full-blood member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. In 1941, he joined the U.S. Army and fought in the Pacific during World War II. He was captured in April 1942, and was a prisoner of war until September 1945. He was part of the Bataan Death March, and was forced into slave labor conditions in Japanese prison concentration camps. With the defeat of Japanese forces in 1945, the American forces of Bataan and Corregidor were liberated. The survivors of Bataan and Corregidor are among the most highly decorated soldiers of battle in U.S. history. His medals and decorations include: Bronze Star Medal, Prisoner-of-War Medal, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Army Presidential Unit Citation, Philippine Presidential Unit Citation, Philippine Defense Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, and the New Mexico Special MacArthur Medal. He was Pawnee Nation President from 1993-1995, and a Traditional Chief of the Chaui Band of Pawnee; a member of the Pawnee Indian Veterans Association, a lifetime member of the American Ex-Prisoner-of-War Organization, State Commander Department of New Mexico, 2001-02; a member of the Defenders of Corregidor and Bataan, a member of the Bataan Veterans Organization. After completing studies at Haskell Institute in 1946, he began his career with the Bureau of Indian Affairs at the Jicarilla Apache BIA Agency in Dulce, N.M.; San Carlos BIA Agency in San Carlos, Ariz.; BIA Agency, Parker Ariz.; Rosebud Sioux BIA Agency in Rosebud, S.D.; Colville Confederated Tribes Agency, Nespelem, Wash.; and retired at Wewoka Agency, Wewoka, in 1974 as a GS-12 finance loan officer. He was a former member of First United Methodist Church, Anadarko, and served as teacher for the Senior Citizens Class Sunday School for 12 years. He was also a lay speaker, who assisted with funerals whenever called upon. He loved to dance and was a champion traditional Southern Straight Dancer. Survivors include his wife, Darlene Joyce Mathews, of the home; two sons: William Mathews Curleychief, and John M. Mathews; two daughters, Anetta L. Townsend, and Janet S. Shunkamolah; grandchildren: Stephanie and Mathews Townsend, Stanley Shunkamolah and Westman Mathews; stepchildren: Keith, Justin and Christian Boos; stepgrandchildren: Kristel Boos and Kreg Boos; adopted sisters, Vivian Komardley, Ruby Williams, Margaret Bell, Gladys Guy, and Anna Tahmahkera. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife of 47 years, Lorraine Coosewoon Mathews; grandson, Gary Clark; a sister, Gertie Roberts; and two brothers, Stacy and Phillip Mathews. He was the youngest and last surviving son of Nannie (Curleychief) and William Mathews. |