Guy Edward Matthews

Guy Edward Matthews

October 10, 1938-November 23, 2022

Guy Edward Matthews, 84, passed away on Wednesday, November 23, 2022.

Guy was born in Mont Belvieu, Texas on October 10, 1938, the only child of Joseph and Anna Lee Matthews. At the time, Mont Belvieu was an oil field town and his childhood home was across the street from an oil rig. As a child he roamed the town, hunted, fished, and swam in rice canals. Guy earned his Eagle Scout award at age 13. In middle school he played football and was in the marching band, leaving the field at halftime with the football team and returning to the field to play trumpet and march with the band. He attended Barbers Hill High School and played football (3 championship teams, Texas North/South All-Star game), tennis (State Tennis Tournament doubles), and track and field (State Track Meet in shot put and discus). Guy also worked in the oil field during high school, creating lifelong freckles which stood out with his pale skin, light blue eyes, and flaming red hair.

Guy graduated from high school as valedictorian. After receiving several scholarship offers to play football in college, Guy chose the University of Texas where he was a member of the original recruiting class of Coach Darrell Royal, a fellow redhead. Guy played for the Longhorns for one season, at which point his athletic career was cut short when a tackle during practice broke several ribs, puncturing a lung. Coach Royal allowed Guy to keep his scholarship, and Guy used it to obtain a B.S. in Physics. Many times in later years, when asked what position he played, Guy stated that he played "left .... out." He was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity.

While a senior at UT, Guy worked for Texas State Senator Bill Walker. While at work one day on the floor of the Texas State Senate, Guy looked over and saw the most beautiful woman in the world. Guy was so entranced by her beauty that he forgot where he was and promptly stepped into a trashcan in front of her - quite the first move. Despite this dubious beginning, he managed to meet, woo, and convince her, Carolyn Burgess, to marry him.

Guy attended the University of Texas School of Law, earning his J.D. After graduation, Guy and Carolyn moved to Arlington, Virginia where he worked in Washington, D.C. in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as a patent examiner and attended George Washington University School of Law, concentrating in patent prosecution and litigation. Guy and Carolyn returned to their native Texas where Guy became a member of the Texas Bar and joined patent law firm Hayden Pravel which in 1967 became Pravel, Wilson and Matthews. In 1972 he formed his own firm which focused on the litigation of intellectual property matters. He was licensed to practice before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit, the Federal Circuit Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., the U.S. Supreme Court, and several federal district courts. He maintained an additional law office in Lafayette, Louisiana, for many years. He was a fellow of the Houston Bar Association and a member of the State Bar of Texas, the Federal Circuit Bar, the Fifth Circuit Bar, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, and Houston Intellectual Property Lawyers Association.

In the 1960s Guy and Carolyn welcomed their daughters Kelly and Heather. Guy taught his daughters how to throw a perfect spiral football, shoot a BB gun, and run a 400. He spent many years coaching Heather's soccer teams which were undefeated over six years of play. He was often tossed out of games for his comments to the referees and would proceed to coach while pacing the parking lot. Guy also attended (and endured) many of his daughters' choir and later dance competitions and performances.

Guy's legal career thrived as he reinvented the way patent litigation was practiced. Guy developed the art of trying a patent case in front of a jury. Guy trusted that juries could understand the complexities of patent litigation, and there was no one better at explaining an invention's unique principles. He was lead counsel in many jury trials representing both plaintiffs and defendants throughout the United States and Western Europe. He served as a court-appointed special master over intellectual property issues in several cases and as an expert witness in numerous, highly technical business tort and patent litigation matters. He was recognized as a Top 100 High Stakes Litigator, was listed in Best Attorneys of America, and was named 2020 Leading Patent Attorney of the Year, Texas by Acquisition International.

Guy was an incredibly hard worker, a tough taskmaster, and tenacious fighter. He built his law firm from a one-attorney shop into a patent and business tort boutique with 15-20 attorneys. He spent many long hours, including nights and weekends, working on his cases. He routinely rose at 4 am every day.

Outside of his family and the practice of law, Guy's favorite lifelong interests and passions were hunting, fishing, and watching UT football games. He was never happier than when he was in the field, on the boat, or watching a sunrise--except for the second Saturday in October when he was watching UT (hopefully) beat OU.

Guy supported and loved his hometown throughout his life, and his hometown returned the favor. In 2002 Guy was inducted into the Barbers Hill High School Sports Hall of Fame, and in 2022, the football practice field at Barbers Hill High School was named "Guy Matthews Field."

The only events that made Guy happier than a Longhorn win were the arrivals of each grandchild. He loved playing on the ground with them, crawling around as his alter-ego, Snake Snook, who had come to tickle them. He also enjoyed reading many stories to them, and, as they got older, listening to their tribulations and aspirations.

Guy is preceded in death by his parents, Joe and Anna Lee Matthews. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Carolyn; his daughter Kelly and her husband Carl Gerber; his daughter Heather and her husband Paul Camfield; his grandchildren Ramsey, Jason, Jeff, Carter, and Cally; his brother-in-law Tim and his wife Mary Kate Burgess; his sister-in-law Elaine Ashcroft; and numerous nephews, nieces, grandnieces, grandnephews, and cousins.

The family gratefully recognizes the special care provided by Trinity Hospice and Family Tree caregivers during Guy's last few months with end stage Parkinson's Disease.

Guy was a member of Chapelwood United Methodist Church. A memorial service is scheduled at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, December 10, 2022 in the Memorial Chapel at Chapelwood United Methodist Church, 11140 Greenbay, Houston, Texas, with a reception following in the Fellowship Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to the Chapelwood Foundation, the Barbers Hill Education Foundation, or a charity of your choice.