Tommie G. Matthews

Tommie Grant Matthews, a hero to many, a friend to all, passed away Friday, August 19, 2016 at the Utah Valley Regional Medical Center in Provo, surrounded by his dear wife and family after surviving a cardiac arrest on July 26, 2016 and valiantly battling to recover for 25 days. He was 79 years old.

Tommie was born March 22, 1937, in Evanston, Wyoming to Victor Washington and Helen Blanche Marsh Matthews. He loved his hometown and had so many fond childhood memories with his parents and siblings and a large extended family. He served an LDS mission in the Northern States Mission from 1957 to 1959. He met the love of his life, Janet Burton, shortly after his mission and they courted while attending Brigham Young University. They married June 3, 1960 in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. Tommie and Jan shared 56 wonderful years together. They loved each other dearly, shared life’s adventures, lived the principles of the gospel, worked hard, and were blessed with eight children and their spouses, and a large posterity of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Tommie earned a bachelor’s degree from Brigham Young University and a master’s degree from the University of Utah in education. He was a masterful teacher and had a great impact on his students’ lives. In his early teaching career, he taught at several secondary schools in Utah and Arizona and for the LDS Church on the South Pacific island of Western Samoa. He also taught early morning seminary for the LDS Church in Arizona. Later he taught as an instructor of mathematics and motivational psychology at Salt Lake Community College as well as at the Davis Applied Technology College in Kaysville. He received many awards for his outstanding teaching abilities. He was also a successful entrepreneur and started several family businesses over the years. He inspired and taught his children and grandchildren to be hard working and industrious at young ages. Of the many businesses started and run by his children and grandchildren through the years, two were named in his honor, Tommie’s Donuts and Grant Victor.

Tommie and Jan served many full-time LDS proselyting missions together after retirement, serving in the Colorado Denver North Mission, New York Rochester Mission, Utah Ogden Mission, and twice in the Tennessee Nashville Mission. Tommie loved and lived the gospel of Jesus Christ, and enjoyed sharing it his whole life.

Tommie was also known for his ability to share inspiring thoughts and sayings, whistle beautiful melodies, and make everyone feel special and important. His cherished grandchildren will miss his special back scratches, eating ice cream together, solving math riddles, and attending a special temple day each month.

Tommie is survived by his wife, Janet; children, Jennifer (Jay) Anderson, Jeffrey, Tamara (Robert) Sumbot, Timothy (Elizabeth), Burton (Rebecca), Christian (Stephanie), JaNae (Matthew) Wright, and Spencer (Jennifer); 36 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren; sister, Karen Lawrence and sister-in-law, Diane Matthews.  Proceeded in death by his parents, Victor Washington and Helen Blanche Marsh Matthews; brothers, Russell and Elmo and brother-in-law, David Lawrence.

A viewing will be held Thursday, August 25th from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Russon Brothers Mortuary at 1941 North Main Street, Farmington. Funeral services will be held Friday, August 26th at 11:00 a.m. at the Fruit Heights LDS Stake building at 170 North Mountain Road in Fruit Heights, with a viewing 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. prior.  Interment services will take place at the Kaysville City Cemetery.