Mildred Matthews

Dr. Mildred (Shuman) Matthews died at the Fairbanks Pioneers' Home on Nov. 22, 2009, after a long struggle with dementia.

Born in Rockwall, Texas, Mildred moved to Illinois with her first husband, Norvin Foster, where she began a career in home economics. For her, home economics was not just a second-class field destined to die away as the world modernized; it taught the basic skills of budgeting money, planning time, utilizing available resources well, making home and business attractive and creatively adapting to new situations.

Her career unfolded rapidly when she moved to Alaska in 1963 to accept a position as home economics supervisor. The Alaska earthquake hit in March 1964, and Mildred was sent to Washington, D.C. one week later to participate in the pivotal meeting of the 49 state directors of Vocational Education, called to respond to the Vocational Education Act of 1963.

Newly married to Ralph Matthews, Mildred completed her doctorate in 1971, researching ways to foster the mobility of Mexican-American adults. Returning to employment at the University of Alaska, she expanded the role of vocational education to include tourism, business and work with Native artists to assure they received residual royalties on their arts and crafts. She also brought into being the new Tanana Valley Community College, and was president of Alaskaland Park, designed to give tourists to Fairbanks an authentic sense of Alaska history.

Mildred loved Alaska and the many friends she made there while she homesteading twice the Bush. Guts and fun. With this phrase, Dr. Matthews described women's leadership in an article she wrote on "The Life and Times of a Woman Administrator." It is a phrase that aptly describes her life.

She is survived by her brother, Felix Shuman; her sister, Mary Frances Madison (Lloyd); her daughter, Norvene Vest (Doug) and her son, Sam Foster (Kim); her grandchildren, Aurora and Christian Foster (Patty); and great-granddaughters, Daniela and Keira Foster.