Richard H. Matthaei's Obituary
Dick left this world on a beautiful fall equinox morning. In other times on a day like that day, he would have loved to have been out fly fishing. He was a 14-year survivor of leiomyosarcoma. After every surgery, every chemotherapy or radiation treatment he was determined to recover to return to this sport he enjoyed so thoroughly.
He was born in Tacoma, Washington on April 24, 1952 to Charles and Helen Matthaei. He had the fondest memories of playing football and basketball at Charles Wright Academy.
His Food Science degree at Washington State University and Masters in Cereal Chemistry at North Dakota State University were preparations for his career in R & D, where he developed new products for the family business, Roman Meal Company. He completed his education with an executive MBA at the University of Washington where his professional interest turned to finance, especially economics and investing.
In 1971 while a student at WSU, Dick met the love of his life, Marcia McGarry. They enjoyed 42 years of kid wrangling, road trips, and summer on Hood Canal.
Dick as a teacher at heart. Throughout the seasons of his life he coached soccer and baseball for his sons’ teams. In his middle years he shared his expertise as a fly tier and master fly caster with young and old alike. He sparked a love of fishing, shrimping, crabbing, boating, and spending time together in the outdoors with his sons, grandchildren, extended family, and many friends.
Dick was passionate about his family, fly fishing and football. He never over indulged except perhaps with his fleet of fishing boats and his fly fishing gear! He was a quiet, courageous, compassionate man noted for his sense of humor.
Dick is preceded in death by his parents, Helen and Charles Matthaei. He is survived by his wife, Marcia, his sons, Tony (Molly), Jake (Morgann) and Corey (Cari) and six grandchildren, Kevin, Ada, Henry, Taylor, Brayden and Kacey, and his brothers, Bill (Joan) and Fred (Dianne).
Funeral Mass will be at 12:10 p.m. on Friday, October 6, 2017 at St. Leo Catholic Church, 710 South 13th St., Tacoma, WA 98405. Reception and celebration of Dicks’s life following service.
In lieu of flowers, Dick would be honored by donations to Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research, Trout Unlimited, Mulitcare Hospice, or…take yourself fishing.
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