Frank Matthews Jr.

Kearney resident, 79

KEARNEY - Frank Arnold Matthews Jr., 79, of Kearney died Wednesday, Dec. 9, 2009, at Good Samaritan Hospital.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Kearney with the Rev. Chad Anderson officiating. Burial of cremains will be at St. Mark's United Methodist Church Memorial Gardens in Tucson, Ariz.

O'Brien Straatmann Funeral Home in Kearney is in charge of arrangements.

He was born June 23, 1930, in Arkansas to Frank Sr. and Elsie (Crawford) Matthews.

On June 30, 1953, he married Ruth Farrer in Albuquerque, N.M.

Survivors include his wife; daughters, Judith Rozema and her husband, David, of Kearney and Nancy Burch of Tucson; brothers, Noel Matthews of Northglenn, Colo., and Jon Matthews of Newington, Conn.; and grandchildren, Steven and Laura Rozema.

He grew up in Texas and Louisiana and received his education at MacMurray College in Abilene, Texas, where he met his future wife. He received his divinity degree at Garrett Theological Seminary, a master's degree at Northern Arizona University and a doctorate at the University of New Mexico.

He and his wife lived in several states where he was a minister in the United Methodist Church. He also lived in Flagstaff, Ariz., and was a professor at Northern Arizona University.

He was a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church. He enjoyed collecting coins, stamps and antique paper ephemera. He was a loving husband, father and grandfather.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one infant brother and brother, Paul.

Memorials are suggested to the American Diabetes Association.

Online condolences may be submitted to osafh.com.