Hugh Matthews Sr.

An old cowboy and his dog ... Hugh Matthews Sr. passed away in the woods of Idaho on the night of Nov. 11, 2013 with his dog at his side. He was 70 years old. Hugh was born Nov. 25, 1942, in Naturita, Colo., to Ivy and Dorothy Matthews.
Hugh lived in many places as a boy and worked with his family earning a living from fruit picking to farming and ranch work. Fruit picking brought the family to Marsing, Idaho, in the '50s. But it was the ranching that captured his soul. He worked several cow outfits in Idaho and Oregon and was known as a good Buckaroo and a top hand at more than one outfit.
Hugh's passion for the cowboy life led him at a very young age to ride rodeo calves which sent him on to becoming a top ranked bull rider at the pro level.
Hugh married Patti Smith, his high school sweetheart, after winning a prize purse bull riding. He then followed her with his winnings to Arkansas where they were wed. He brought her back to Idaho where they worked together on a cow outfit and raised a small family with two boys Robbie and Donald Matthews.
In his later years, he remarried and now began a new life with his second wife where he added two more children, Rick and Kristie Lynn Matthews, to now become a family of four.
Hugh raised his family with good cowboy living and strong Christian values that have since been passed down to even his great-grandchildren.
Hugh is preceded in death by his parents, one older brother and one grandson.
Hugh is survived by three sons, Rob Matthews, Emmett, Idaho, Donald Matthews, Phoenix, Ariz. and Rick C. Matthews, South Dakota and one daughter Kristie Lynn Matthews, South Dakota. He also left behind three sisters, Doris Powers, Mary Peterson and Carol Weaver and a brother, Jerry. Hugh has 13 grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren as his life's blessings.
Whatever he did, he did the way he wanted where he wanted and it was his and for that we loved him. He will truly be missed.
2 Corinthians 5:17
There will be a gathering on Saturday, Nov. 23, 2013, at 2 p.m. at the Toadstool Grill, 115 N. Hayes Ave., Emmett.