Delmar Mathews

Delmar Lloyd Mathews 92, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and friend,

passed away peacefully on November 27, 2024. Born on October 23, 1932, to Guy and Elsie

Mathews, Del was the cherished younger brother of Sheldon.

Del was a native of the Thurston area and went to grade school at Thurston Elementary where he

met his best friend, Bob O’Connor. They remained lifelong friends. Del graduated from

Springfield high school in 1951 where he was on the wrestling, baseball teams and involved in

student council. This is where he met Patty in his junior year. They were married for 70 years in

October, but Del would tell you he chased her for 5 years before they married. 75 years together

was a good run!

Del joined the United States Army in December 1952, when he went off to paratrooper school.

He returned home before being deployed to marry the love of his life Patty Ebbert on October

10, 1954. He left near the end of the Korean war to join the 187th airborne. There he made

friends with Ed Martin and Bob Wegner during his military duty, and they all stayed lifelong

friends, both preceded Del in death.

When He returned to the States Patty joined him in Ft. Bragg North Carolina.

When he was honorably discharged, from the Army they returned to Oregon.

He and Patty built a beautiful family that included their sons Greg, David, Gary and Mark.

Del loved to spend time with his boys at their sporting events and many hunting, fishing and

camping trips.

Del began work as a milkman for McKenzie River Dairy, a family business that instilled in him

strong values of hard work and commitment. He is still fondly remembered as the “Milk Man”,

by many who grew up on the McKenzie River. When they sold the dairy, he went to work for

SUB and EWEB and retired from both, then he later returned to SUB and finished his career, finally retiring at the age of 72. 

Throughout these years he earned respect for his hard work ethic.

Del never met a stranger, if he didn’t know you when he saw you, he made sure to learn all about

who you were and who you might be related to. If you were at his home, he would offer you a

pop and a cookie and challenge you to a game of cards.

Del had an unquenchable passion for firewood. Whether splitting and stacking sawing logs into

firewood or seeking out fallen trees around the area, he found joy in every aspect of this labor-

intensive hobby. Friends knew well that if there was wood available nearby or a tree downed by

a windstorm, they could count on Del showing up with chainsaw in hand. He and Bob O’Connor

spent many hours together skidding logs with Del’s old Ford pickup, if the log wouldn’t move

Del would yell “hit it again”.

He continued running his wood splitter until just months before his passing.

He is survived by Patty his wife who stood beside him through thick-and-thin, along with his

Sons, Greg (Joan), Gary (Letty), Mark (Erin), Grandchildren, and Great Grandchildren, and

many extended friends, and family members. Del was preceded in death by his son David.

Rest easy now Del you will forever remain alive in our hearts!