Charles E. Matheson

Matheson,
Charles E.
of Lafayette, died June 25, 2007, at his home. He was
71. The son of Jesse J. and Lucille Young Matheson, he was born December 16, 1935, in North Platte, Nebraska. He married Marian Elder on December 22, 1957, in North Platte.
He graduated from North Platte High School in 1953. He came to Boulder in 1953 as a student at the University of Colorado, where he was a member and past president of Pi Kappa Alpha social fraternity. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering in 1958 and an LLB from the University of Colorado School of Law in 1961. He was Managing Editor of the Colorado Law Review from 1960-61, and a member of the Order of the Coif, law honorary society.
In 1961 he was admitted to the Bar in Colorado. He was also admitted to practice before the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado and the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals.
From 1961 to 1986, he practiced commercial and bankruptcy law with the Denver Law Firm of Fairfield and Woods, and was involved in many significant bankruptcy reorganization cases throughout the country.
In 1986 he was appointed as a Judge to the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado, and served in that capacity until he retired in January 2001. While at the Bankruptcy Court, he served as Chief Judge from 1987 until 1999. During that time the case filings increased from the range of 6,000 cases a year to 18,000 cases, making Colorado one of the busiest courts in the country. He served as a bankruptcy judge in Wyoming and New Mexico as needed, and was a member of the Bankruptcy Appellate Panel for the Tenth Circuit. While on the bench, he taught bimonthly seminars to the bankruptcy attorneys to help them stay abreast of the rapidly changing bankruptcy laws.
He was a member of the American Bar Association, the Colorado Bar Association, the Denver Bar Association, and the Denver Bar Foundation. He held offices and served as chair for various committees in those organizations. He was a member and past president of the Denver Law Club, as well as musical director for many of the variety shows the club presented to the Colorado Bar Association. He was a member of the National Association of Bankruptcy Judges, where he served on the board of directors and chaired various committees of that organization. He was a member of the Presidents' Seminar in Denver, and the Rocky Mountain Heart Association.
He received the Colorado Law School Award for Distinguished Achievement in the Judiciary, and the Denver Law Club Lifetime Achievement Award for Service to the Bar and Community.
He was one of the founders of both the Flatirons Kennel Club and the Rocky Mountain Purebred Dog Owners Association, in which organizations he was a lifetime member. He, together with his wife, Marian, bred, trained, and showed German Shepherd dogs in AKC shows throughout the country for many years.
He was a great lover of all kinds of music, particularly opera, and was a student of the classical guitar. Among his many other interests were travel, sailing, and fly-fishing.
He is survived by his wife, Marian; one daughter, Laurie Matheson, Champaign, IL; two sons, Mark (Rebecca) Matheson, Broomfield, and Michael (Jennifer) Matheson, Northglenn; and eight grandchildren.
A Memorial Celebration will be held at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, July 1, at First Presbyterian Church of Boulder, 1820 15th Street, Boulder.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be sent in his name to The University of Colorado Foundation, 401 U.C.B., Boulder, CO 80309.