Obituary of Doris Matthews

Sedan - Doris Matthews, formerly of Cedar Vale, KS died Saturday, June 14, 2014 at the Wilson Golden Living Center in Wilson, Ks. at the age of 93. Doris, the oldest child of Homer H. Blan and Gertie M. (Nichols) Blan was born December 28, 1920 in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Doris was not given a middle name. H H, as Doris' father was called , was in partnership with his father and brothers in a nursery in Fort Smith until 1923 when an older brother returned from World War I and took over H H's job, causing a lot of resentment among all the brothers. H H sold his interest in the family nursery and moved to Owasso, OK where he and Gertie promptly started a nursery in Mingo, OK. Doris' sister Lynn Nichols was born on September 13, 1925. The family was able to survive the Depression because they had made the last loan payment on the nursery several months before the "Crash" in 1929. It was in this environment that Doris and Lynn cultivated their life-long passion for plants. Doris learned to play the piano at an early age and played for many church and school functions. Doris graduated from Owasso High School in 1936 and attended and graduated from Tulsa Business College. She was a bookkeeper in Tulsa during World War II. Doris married Clarence Ralph Matthews on January 10, 1943 at University Methodist Church in Tulsa, OK. Ralph joined his father in the Sapulpa Daily Herald after the war. Doris was a homemaker to their two children, Sherry Lynn born May 3, 1945 and Robert Ralph born September 4, 1946. She loved being a mother and was very involved in her children's activities. In 1959 Ralph and Doris bought the Cedar Vale Messenger, a weekly newspaper, and the family moved to Kansas. Doris was an active partner with Ralph, running the linotype, a noisy, hot, machine necessary to the printing process. Doris gathered news stories and kept the books for the enterprise. When the local lumber yard closed in 1969 Ralph & Doris bought it, kept the staff and continued operating the paper. When the local hardware store was closing they bought that business and after a time sold the newspaper. Doris continued helping with the daily operations of the hardware and lumber business before retiring in1982. Doris also worked for a time at the People's Place Doris was active in the Cedar Vale United Methodist Church, was a member of the "Welfare Club" a social service organization, and the Non-pariel Club and the Eastern Star. Doris was a constant in her children's lives; they could always count on her listening to whatever was on their mind. Her granddaughters remember her as the best grandmother ever!. There were many happy times spent playing store with all the canned goods in the pantry, or "camping" under the big Osage Orange tree in the backyard, sitting on the front porch guessing which color of car would drive by next, or swimming in the pool in the backyard. You could always find a flower to pick and Doris was always willing to provide arrangements for any occasion. Doris was a good cook and holidays were a special treat with her cream puffs and pastries and meringue and chocolate chip cookies taking center stage. Ralph preceded Doris in death on October 15, 1994. When she could no longer maintain the family home on Walnut street, she moved into the Cedar Apartments. But she was particularshe wanted an end unit, so she could plant flowers along the side and was thrilled when it was close to the vegetable garden area. When she ran out of space at her own unit, she started helping the neighbors! Doris' great joy was in sharing her plants with others. Doris is survived by her daughter, Sherry (Ray) Schindler, Hulbert, OK, son, Bob (Helen) Matthews, Cedar Vale, KS, sister, Lynn Tyner, Wagoner, OK, granddaughters, Becky (Jim) Burke, Russell, KS, Jennifer (Jake) Ball, Lee's Summit, MO, Nikki Schindler, Dallas, TX, Rayna (Keith) Diekelman, Frankfurt, Germany, great grandsons Bradyn and Alex Burke, and August Ball, nieces Karen (Dan) Lamoreaux, Tulsa, OK, Laura Tyner, Wagoner, OK, Janet (Randy) Karasch, Le Center, MN, and nephews, Steve (Debbie) Tyner, Tahlequah, OK, and Jim (Sue) Carnathan, Billings, MT. Services will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday, June 18, 2014 at the Cedar Vale United Methodist Church in Cedar Vale, with Rev. Jerry Bever officiating. Burial will follow in the Cedar Vale Cemetery. Friends may call on Tuesday, June 17, 2014 from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Sedan. Memorials have been established in Doris' name for the People's Place in Cedar Vale and the Cedar Vale United Methodist Church; contributions may be left with the funeral home or mailed c/o David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 209 North Douglas, Sedan, KS 67361.