Chester Matthews

Chester Grover Matthews, 78, of Cape Girardeau passed away about noon Tuesday, June 13, 2006, at Saint Francis Medical Center, after a lengthy illness.

He was born Aug. 30, 1927, in Glenallen, Mo., son of the late Chester R. and Florence E. Hargiss Matthews. He married Dora Olive Slinkard May 1, 1948. She preceded him in death Sept. 23, 1988. He married Dorothy J. Latham Gilbert Dec. 28, 1991.

Matthews served in the U.S. Army from January 1946 to August 1947.

He was employed at the Hosiery Mill in Jackson a number of years. He then moved to Cape Girardeau where he co-owned a gasoline station before going to work at Cape Electrical Supply, where he worked 35 years, retiring in 1994.

He is survived by his wife, Dorothy; two daughters, Linda M. (Gary) George of Alpharetta, Ga., Shirley Ann (Bruce) Dixon of Fulton, Mo.; four stepsons, Mark (Dana) Gilbert of Kansas City, Kan., Dr. David (Linda) Gilbert of Chapel Hill, N.C., Steven (Victoria) Gilbert of Prospect, Conn., Dr. William (Lucy) Gilbert of Grovetown, Ga.; two brothers, William (Jean) Matthews of Moro, Ill., and Charles (Ruby) Matthews of Cape Girardeau.

Also surviving is a grandson, Michael D. (Mischele) Maxwell of Shawnee, Kan.; two granddaughters, Rachael Osburn of Alpharetta, Sarah Dixon of Fulton; 15 step-grandchildren; Rebecca (David) Consiglio, John, Benjamin, Zachary, Melissa, Jarred, Joshua, Christopher, Sarah, Grace, Alex, Bailey, Hunter, Gracie Gilbert; three great-stepgrandchildren, Adam and Emilia Consiglio and Lyllian Gilbert.

Chester was a long-standing member of Red Star Baptist Church and served as a deacon many years.

Visitation will be Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. at Ford and Sons Mount Auburn Funeral Home.

The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the funeral home. The Revs. Cy Smith and Todd Greer will officiate. Burial will be in Cape County Memorial Park. Deacons of Red Star will be pallbearers.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Red Star Baptist Church, Cape Girardeau, Mo.