Jimmie Rae Mathews
Jimmie Mathews passed away May 1, 2016 in Yuba City. He died peacefully in his sleep with family at his side. Jimmie was born July 16, 1934 in Levelland, Texas to Homer and Jessie Mathews; he was the youngest of three children. That same year the family moved to Gridley, California where Jimmie attended grammar school and graduated from Gridley High School in 1952. It was at Gridley High where Jimmie would meet his wife and best friend Mabel Flores. Jimmie and Mabel would have celebrated 59 years of marriage on May 19.
In 1958 Jimmie and Mabel moved to Yuba City. They bought a home in 1960 where they raised three boys - James, Steve and Jeff. Although the boys are now grown with families of their own, Mabel still resides in that Yuba City home.
Jimmie served in the United States Army as an Intelligence Specialist from 1955 - 1957. Stationed at Ft. Lewis, Washington, Jimmie was part of the "Counter Fire" unit charged with detecting enemy artillery fire utilizing electronic sensing equipment, cutting-edge for its time.
Jimmie earned an Associate of Arts degree from Yuba College. He also held a real estate salesperson license for many years. He had a career in sales for most of his adult life. He was employed by Pepsi Cola in Yuba City for 18 years and later with James P. Keating Co. Liquor Distributors in Sacramento. He was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 1989 and due to the disabilities presented with the disease, he retired.
Jimmie loved the outdoors and enjoyed hunting, fishing and camping. He especially enjoyed spending time at Childs Meadows near Mt. Lassen and teaching his sons and grandchildren the art of trout fishing on Mill Creek. Eventually, due to the effects of MS, Jimmie was no longer able to hunt or stream fish. He would make the best of things however, and he and Mabel would buy a small motor home and join the local Moose Lodge camper club. With Mabel at the wheel, the two could still enjoy the outdoors, make new friends and even trout fish in some of the lakes they visited. If they weren't on the road, Jimmie also found pleasure in wood-working and studying genealogy. He was also a lifelong San Francisco Giants and San Francisco Forty-Niners Fan.
Family meant everything to Jimmie and he enjoyed spending as much time with them as possible. Even with MS and age related illness taking its toll, Jimmie kept an amazingly positive attitude and sense of humor. He was an inspiration to all who knew him and he will be missed.
Jimmie is survived by his wife Mabel Mathews of Yuba City; his three sons - James Mathews (Sheila) of Plumas Lake; Steve Mathews of Cedarville, CA and Jeff Mathews (Jemy) of Yuba City, six grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, brother Roy Mathews of Gridley, sister Wanda Spiker of Santa Barbara and daughter-in-law Bobbie Mathews (Steve) of Marysville.
Donations may be made to St. Isidore Food Locker or the Christian Assistance Network (CAN) in lieu of flowers.
Funeral arrangements and memorial services are under the direction of Ullrey Memorial Chapel in Yuba City. Family viewing will be held at the chapel on Thursday, May 12 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm; public viewing from 4:00 pm to 6:30 pm; and rosary from 6:30 pm to 7:00 pm. Catholic Mass will be held at St. Isidore Catholic Church, 222 Clark Avenue in Yuba City on Friday, May 13 at 10:30 am with a reception in the Parish Hall immediately following the Mass from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm. Graveside services will follow at the Gridley Cemetery at 2:30 pm.
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Published in Appeal Democrat from May 6 to May 11, 2016
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