David James Mathews

David “Dave” J. Mathews, age 68 of Hobart, passed away on April 24, 2015, after a difficult struggle with cancer. He died at the home he built, surrounded by a family he loved dearly and a small dog he strongly disliked. Dave was born in Gary, Indiana, on April 14th, 1947. He was a graduate of Lew Wallace High School’s Class of 1965. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1966. Luckily, he was sent to Germany rather than Vietnam, and was assigned to a tactical nuclear weapon known as the Davy Crockett. In the event of a Russian invasion, the government felt a blue-collar kid from Gary was the perfect person to launch a nuke with a maximum range of only 2.5 miles. Dave felt he might have survived “if the wind was blowing in the right direction.” But World War III didn’t happen, and in 1969 he married Sharon Kolander. That same year he began working as an electrician at U.S. Steel Gary Works, and he remained there for more than 30 years. In the late 1970s, he received his Real Estate license, an achievement in which he took great pride. In 2004, he took an early retirement buyout from U.S. Steel, which he considered one of the best decisions he ever made. He spent his remaining years doing the things he loved: traveling, fishing, golfing, practicing amateur photography, wiring stuff, investing, visiting flea markets to haggle over the price of socks, and betting on football. He had a mustache. He wore Crocs. He wore a flip phone on his belt, and he never started a Facebook account. He was a devoted son and son-in-law. He considered his friends to be part of his family. He was a better father and husband than anyone deserved. Dave’s parting advice to his son was, “Never buy an annuity” and “Be careful because sometimes they try to sell you an annuity but they don’t call it an annuity.” He loved his granddaughter more than anything, with the possible exception of watching the Chicago Bears lose. Special thanks to Marc Trestman and Jay Cutler for making Dave’s final football season so much fun for him to watch. Dave was preceded in death by his parents George and Helen Mathews; sister, B. Ellen Mathews; and mother-in-law, Rose Von Almen. He is survived by his loving wife, Sharon; son Jason (Amanda) Mathews; granddaughter Bridget Ellen; brother George (Bettye) Mathews; sister Marika (late Fred) Veysey; father-in-law Maurice Von Almen; brothers-in-law David (Elaine) and Brian Von Almen; sister-in-law Carole (Jerry) Talley; many nieces and nephews; and more lifelong friends than it is possible to list. He lived a good life. Visitation will be held from 2-8 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2015, at Burns Funeral Home, 701 E. 7th St., Hobart, IN. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, May 1, 2015, at St. Bridget Catholic Church, 107 Main St., Hobart, IN, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with prayers at Burns Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to VNA Hospice Center of Porter County. www.burnsfuneral.com

David James Mathews

April 14, 1947 - April 24, 2015