James Howard Mathews

James Howard Mathews, of Erie and Ft. Collins, CO, died peacefully on a warm summer morning on July 25, 2022 in Gig Harbor, Washington at the age 81. Jim is survived by his loving wife of 55 years, Cheryl Mathews, his two daughters, Aimee Fentress and Lainey Mathews, their spouses, his three grandchildren, Andrew Fentress, Alexander Fentress, Arielle Fentress, as well as his sister, Jennifer Bartz.  

Jim was a quiet man with a quirky sense of humor.  He cared deeply for his family and was a loving father, husband, and grandfather.  Jim was the first person in his family to graduate from college and finished his Ph. D. at age 53. He worked most of his career for the CDC in Ft. Collins in the fields of microbiology and virology. Throughout his retirement, he took time to enjoy the finer things in life, a good meal and glass of wine and time spent with family. He learned how to pickle and keep terrariums; he continued to enjoy cooking and began reading more non-fiction, especially books about WWII which he found fascinating.

Anyone who knew Jim, knew he had a deep love for dogs - in fact, he was nicknamed “Dogman” by one of his closest friends.  Jim will be missed by his loving family and friends.  In lieu of flowers, to honor Jim, please make a donation to the Pierce County Humane Society at https://www.thehumanesociety.org/ or CHI Franciscan Hospice at https://www.vmfh.org/our-foundations/franciscan-foundation.html. 

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