Mark Donald Matthews

Mark Donald "Bud" Matthews, 83, a East Wenatchee resident for seven and a half years, passed away on February 7, 2013, at home in East Wenatchee, following an extended illness. He was born on May 21, 1929 at Tucson, Arizona to the late Donald Mark and Ruth Lucy (Lotka) Matthews. He was raised to the age of 12 in Tucson before the family moved out east of Tucson to Vail, Arizona. Following his schooling he went to work as a cowboy at the Tanque Verde Ranch, North of Vail. He married Mary Bryan at Nogales, Arizona on July 27, 1950. He left ranching for awhile and took a job as an engineer with the Arizona Highway Department. Eventually the cowboy in him had him returning to the ranch where he was employed as foreman at the Flying R. Ranch in Vail. In 1972 he married Diane "DeDe" Cain and in 1974 he went to work on the Rancho Roca Roja Ranch, near Phoenix. In 1975 he became a Livestock Inspector for the State of Arizona a position he held until 1986. They moved to the Rose Tree Ranch at Elgin where he worked as a Ranch Manager until 1997. He continued to make his home in Arizona at Sierra Vista until moving to East Wenatchee in June of 2004. When he was young he worked at Porters of Tucson and he became proficient making hand tooled leather items. He had always privately made leather goods and had a Tack & Saddle shop during the 1970's. He enjoyed Western movies, and was especially fond of "John Wayne". He is survived by three children and their spouses, Patsy "Pat" & Fred Tamez-Dymond, Lake Jackson, Texas, Linda & Randy Acton, East Wenatchee and Chad & Yana Matthews, Elgin, Arizona; one sister, Shirley Gallman, Tucson, AZ; two brothers, James " Jim" Matthews, Patagonia, AZ and William "Bill" Matthews, Tucson, AZ; 8 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren and 2 great- great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, three brothers, one as an infant, Matthew and two as adults, George and John Matthews and two sisters, Theresa Reese and Marilynn Sommers. A Family Gathering will be held at a later date. Friends who wish may make memorial donations in his name to Alzheimer's Research. You are invited to visit his online tribute and leave a memory at www.HeritageMemorialChapel@msn.com" title="Click to open in a new window or tab" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">www.HeritageMemorialChapel@msn.com . Arrangements are in the care of Heritage Memorial Chapel, East Wenatchee.

Mark Donald Matthews

May 21, 1929 - February 7, 2013