Obituaries : Harold R. Matthews; Lifelong County Resident
Harold Reedy Matthews, a longtime Ventura County resident and retired electrician, has died at the age of 85.
Matthews was born in Oxnard on Aug. 23, 1910, and graduated from Oxnard High School, where he held the county record for the mile-long run.
After graduating from Santa Barbara State Teachers College, he worked as a linotype operator for two local newspapers before becoming an electrician. He owned and operated Santa Paula Electric from 1949 to 1969.
He then worked at Matthews Electric with his son for 20 years before retiring.
He was a 61-year member of the Oxnard Elks Club, a past master of the Fillmore-Santa Paula Masonic Lodge #291 and a member of the Santa Paula Rotary Club.
He attended the Al Malikah Shrine Temple.
Matthews is survived by his wife, Isabel, of Santa Paula; a daughter, Carrie Joyce of Laguna Beach; a son, Lewis of Ventura; three brothers; two sisters; eight grandchildren; and three great-granddaughters.
A memorial service will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the Pierce Brothers Stetler Mortuary Chapel.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Santa Clara Valley Hospice or Santa Paula Memorial Hospital.
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