Sylvia Sue Mathews

Sylvia Sue (Shaffer) Mathews was born on February 16th, 1940 in Auburn, WA. She passed away peacefully on December 7th, 2025 in Vancouver, WA.

She was the youngest daughter of Harvey & Phyllis (Crabill) Shaffer. She grew up with her two sisters Dixie (McKee) & Sharon (Beaudette) in Enumclaw, WA, graduating from Enumclaw High School in 1958. The family spent many happy days on the Puget Sound aboard their boat the "Martiann."

Sylvia attended Western Washington University in Bellingham for a year. She used to tell her grandkids, "Oh I had so much fun, but they didn't invite me back!" After her college experience she worked for the Kenworth Motor Co. in Kent. Friends set her up on a blind date with Richard (Dick) Mathews from Eugene, OR. Though they didn't get to see each other often, they wrote letters. A year later she moved to Eugene to be closer to Dick, living with the friends that introduced them, Barney & Sharon Oberg. After marrying, they moved to Boise, ID, where their daughter Stacy was born. From Boise they moved to Kent, WA where their son Richard (Rich) Jr. was born, relocating to Vancouver, WA in 1974. After her children entered school, she returned to the workforce as an employee of the Vancouver School District. She loved working with kids and was awarded Staff Assistant of the Year in 1991. She retired in 2000 after 20+ years.

Sylvia loved the outdoors and tending to her flower gardens. She was also legendary for her famous pumpkin bread, potato salad, rusty baked beans, and Syl's Dills. When they weren't attending sports practices or games, the family enjoyed camping, fishing and hunting. After they both retired, Dick & Sylvia loved traveling to visit family & friends. After losing her husband of 51 years in 2016, she continued to live in the family home until moving in 2024 to Glenwood Place, where she received excellent care until her passing.

Sylvia is survived by her daughter Stacy Walters and Stacy's children Nathan & Allison; her son Rich, his wife Lisa, and their children: Kimberly Leiva (Guillermo) and their kids Alison & Eleanor; Stephanie Pruce (Tyler) and their kids: Fionn & Margaux; Rory Banim (Nina); her brother-in-law Ralph Mathews (Ida), and many cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. She was preceded in death by her parents Harvey & Phyllis Shaffer; her sister Dixie McKee (Jim); her sister Sharon Beaudette and nephew Scott; her in-laws Odyne & Katherine Mathews; her brother-in-law David Mathews (Carole) and nephew Terry; her sister-in-law Marcia Rau; and her son-in-law Tom Walters.

A memorial service and reception will be held at 12:30 pm on Saturday, April 4th at Evergreen Memorial Gardens: 1101 NE 112th Avenue, Vancouver, WA 98684. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association or a Hospice Care organization near you.