Dear Matthews Family, please accept my sincere condolences on the passing of David. He was one of a kind and will be deeply missed. May God afford you comfort in your time of need and bless you while going through your grieving process. He now is an angle watching over all of us.

My deepest sympathy to David's family.  I had the honor and privilege to work for David.  The few years I spent with him were full of fond memories.  David and I faced many tribulations while at OLCR.  Many a time it would have been easier to have taken an easier path, but we never did.  David was a true champion of the vulnerable and oppressed.  He instilled in me the same.  In so many ways David's legacy will continue. Arizona's children will continue to benefit from his years of dedication and wisdom.  I and all who knew him are better for it.  You're in my heart always.

You will always be in our hearts. The Rees Family

To the family of David;
It saddened me to hear of the passing of David. He and his Mom and Dad led me to the Lord when I was a young boy. They also showed me what a true family relationship looks like. I went to church with the family and felt like they were MY family. David and I were always together, camping in the woods by our homes, cooking over a campfire with soup cans, digging a trench around our army pup tent to keep the rain from inside (it never worked though!). We would get up hours before dawn to set a trap line, go to school and come home and check traps, skin and stretch hides and then start all over again. He was like a brother to me. It didn't surprise me to see what kind of work he chose. He was always very involved in the youth fellowship program at church and summer camp. There was seldom a time that you saw one of us without the other. I hold many fond memories of our childhood days. Rest in Peace my Brother. TT

Dear cindy, you may not remember me but i just wanted to send my thoughts and love to you during this difficult time. I  am praying for you and your family. Nick Beatty sent me a Christmas card and shared with me the news. I am robin Snook(Eiker}. we all went to pcb together and i believe i even went to your wedding. Although it is sad to lose the one you love, i can see by the pictures that he and you had a wonderful relationship together so you will have lots of great memories to look back on and hold on to.one day we will all meet the Lord and it will be a big happy union and reunion. in the mean time, continue to be a testimony of how great and awesome the Lord is and keep giving Him glory.  my email is robeik@comcast.net   feel free to get in touch. i will keep praying as the Lord leads. Have a blessed Christmas. love, robin eiker

A few years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Dave, my AZ counterpart, while visiting Child Care Licensing. He gave me such a warm welcome that I immediately felt like part of his team. He carved out a generous portion of his day to listen to my ideas about licensing and shared many of his own. What was even more incredible about this thoughtful, gentle leader was the way he spoke about his family. My eyes raced through every family photo on office walls as I listened to him relive their mountain hiking adventures. What an amazing guy and family. I pray that the Lord and your friends will bless you with strength and peace through this most difficult time. Heaven is the richer.

Dear Family of David Matthews, I am not telling you anything you don't know when I say that Dave was one of the kindest and 'most motivated to help' individuals I have ever met.  I am president of the state foster parent association and whenever I would get a call from a foster parent who had a licensing dilemma, I never hesitated to send them right to Dave, where they got immediate answers to their questions and a solution to whatever issue they were facing.  He was one of a kind and we will miss him.  He was the kind of person who made you 'think your hardest' and do your best.

I have known David for 8 years working at DES and he was always an upbeat and happy person. He would talk to anyone and would help if you asked him. I got to work with him more closely when I went to OLCR in February 2010 to be his assistant. He was very smart and always had good ideas. We were both from Pennsylvania so we had a lot of similarities and would talk and laugh about them. I always told him he would be a trail guide somewhere in Arizona after DES since he loved hiking especially the Grand Canyon area. I am glad I got to know him and will always remember him.

Dear Cindy, Josh, Sarah, and all of David's family,

David and I worked together for over ten years--he as the intrepid regulator and I as his attorney.  Over that time we formed a bond, like soldiers in the trenches.  He was so incredibly thorough and organized, he made my job easy.  He used to joke that he should have been a lawyer--- and he would have been a good one.  But while many people can become lawyers, few could have done what he did with the strength and grace that he possessed.  He was my hero.

One story David told me that I will always remember was towards the end of his mother's life.  He said that he had gone to visit her and she told him she wanted to go for a walk.  But, she couldn't get out of her chair, let alone walk. David, dutiful son that he was, picked her up, put her feet on his and took her for a walk.  When they were done, he set her back in her chair and asked her,"How was that mom?"  And she grinned back at him and said, "Great."  

David is a great loss to our state, and to humanity.  He was a kind, spiritual man, and tireless protector of foster children in Arizona.  It was a pleasure and an honor to work with him.

While I have been working with David on projects at DES for several years now, it wasn't until recently that I worked closely enough with him to see what kind of man he was.  In that short time, I saw he was an impressive and personable man - a real pleasure to work with.  However, following today's memorial, I realized that I only saw the tip of the iceberg.  I wish I had the chance to know him better.  He will be missed.

I was privileged to work with David, and he always showed a deep compassion for the vulnerable adults we serve. He will be greatly missed! My prayers are with you, his family, during this difficult time. May the Lord bring you comfort and peace!

Thank you for sharing your love for the out door with people my church members and the countless at risk youth you guided through the Grand Canyon with such passion and commitment,

I was sitting in a conference room, waiting to meet my new customer when in walked Dave.  He began to describe his vision for a Foster Care Licensing application.  Suddenly I was amazed at the vision he presented, swept up by his unwavering commitment and on board with the project for the long haul.  In the following years, I came to admire Dave's integrity, his love for his family and friends, his commitment to his ideals.  Knowing Dave has enriched my life.  It has been a whirlwind that I would not have missed for anything.

I have known David for 8 years working at DES and he was always an upbeat and happy person. He would talk to anyone and would help if you asked him. I got to work with him more closely when I went to OLCR in February 2010. He was very smart and always had good ideas. We were both from Pennsylvania so we had a lot of similarities and would talk and laugh about them. I always told him he would be a trail guide somewhere in Arizona after DES since he loved hiking especially the Grand Canyon area. I will always remember him, but he is in a safe place now.

I have many fond memories of David. This picture is us down on the Colorado River on David's first backpacking trip into the Grand Canyon via the Hermit Trail(me, David, Kelly Hill, Tank(Mike Thomas), Debra Rickey, John McElhinny, & Heather Fraser. 

I worked with or for David since 1990 until I retired in 2009. There was always purpose and dedication in all he did. My memories are of noble man who worked hard and accomplished much in his tenure with DES. But we sure had a lot of fun along the way. Peace be with you brother.

There will never be anything like the fun,love and knowlege imparted at the FBC in West Newton and on the Baptist bus...We will always have a special place for all the Matthews in our hearts. We will surely miss their presences on this earth but we all rejoice knowing they are in a far better place...

Dave is in my thoughts everytime i  hear "Hush"  by Deep Purple.  Oh the days of the baptist youth group. One of my oldest friends.  I love your whole family.  He will be sorely missed and never forgotten.  my heart is with the family.

David was a good friend, man could he make me laugh, I think I will miss that most. He had such a great sense of humor, this is hard to find these days. David always found time to help me with any issue I might have. He was my "go to guy" when I was at DES. So sorry to have lost him, our thoughts and prayers go out to David's family and friends.

My sympathy and prayers are with the family as always.

I met Dave in January of 1975.  We were freshman roommates at Philadelphia College of Bible (Cairn University) when it was located in center city Philadelphia. He became my best friend quickly.  We were both western Pennsylvania hicks, I suppose.  Neither of us really changed that much.  That was what was so cool.  I am going to miss him more than I can possibly say.  But, I imagine we can still have a good time in heaven.  God bless his family and his many friends.  Nick "Danger" Beatty (Uniontown, Pa.)

David was a brilliant boss and leader of OLCR.  I had the pleasure of working for him for 12 years, and cannot measure the benefits and value of having the opportunity to work with his genius, although I will miss him most for his humor and humility.  I will miss him greatly, and will continue to hold him in my heart forever.

I have worked with David at OLCR since 2005 and admired his integrity. He was a great listener and we shared loads of laughter together. I had an idea of the personalities and differences of all of us. So I spoke to David about implementing a group called "We Are Family" known as "WRFF". We all have family members that have unusual personalities and it fitted our group like a glove. During those times, we celebrated birthdays, sickness, deaths, births, Jobs well done and other things. We had such a GREAT time!! I think of the time when we showed out love by Framing his PINK SHIRT "U DA MAN" where we all signed our names and presented it to David. We are laughed and teased him about the "PINK" shirt. I am so glad God placed David in my life. He was a GREAT LEADER, FRIEND, BOSS. DAVID WAS THE MAN!!! I will miss having breakfast and my morning talks with David. Looking at all of the pictures of the family and laughing. He was a good listener. I will celebrate his Homegoing knowing that GOD LOVED HIM BEST. My prayers are with Cindy, Sarah, Josh and his two grandsons. May God continue to give you strength during these times.

Grief is God's reward for having loved well.  My thoughts and prayers are with David's family and friends.

I have worked with David at OLCR since its beginning and admired him greatly. He was a man of integrity, helpful and funny in his own way. He was a great boss and leader and always led by example. David was always helpful and encouraged people to work as a team and support each other. He shared his love for his family with many of us and his faith in God. I spoke to him on face book while he was sick and asked what I could do for him and he said: “Pray for me for strength and courage.” David was a courageous man and faced everything head on; he was an inspiration to me and many others. I will never forget him and feel blessed to have known him. David I am glad the Lord gave you your wings and I know we will meet again. Dear Lord, my prayers are now with Cindy, Sarah, Josh and their family, those two sweet grandsons he loved so much. God be with all of you.

My sympathy to the Matthews family. I grew up in West Newton with "Catfish" and remember playing football and baseball with him as a kid.  I ran into him at a Steeler game quite a few years ago at a tailgate party and we reminisced about riding together every day to high school and how great it was growing up in a small town.  Rest in Peace, David.....you are a good guy.

I met David many years ago when we were going through Quality Champions training together at DES .  His intelligence and creativity were immediately obvious to me.  I especially loved his sense of humor which was quick and bright and clever.  He was a great colleague and he did much good and important work for DES.

My deepest and most heartfelt condolences to David's family.  David has left an incredible legacy for his wife, children and grandchildren and for generations beyond.  I can only imagine the fond and fun memories he has left for all of you to cherish and laugh about!  For those of us that knew David throughout his career, we know his protective, caring and dedicated work will have an everlasting impact on the safety, well-being and happiness of vulnerable children and adults in Arizona. 

David, it's truly hard to believe you are gone.  It's been an honor to have worked with you and known you. You're probably saying 'enough of the sappy stuff' and ready to crack a joke right about now!  You are also probably telling me to make some bullet points instead of writing  in narrative! That said, this one's for you:

1) You will be missed.
2) You are a hero to many.
3) You can now rest in peace.

From the staff of the Arizona Board of Fingerprinting:

Our condolences to David's family.  David's commitment to the welfare of Arizona's children was unmatched and is an inspiration to us.

I am so sorry to hear about David's passing.  David is my second cousin.  Naomi, his mother was my first cousin.  As Christians know that we will be with our Lord and Savior forever--Sherrill Hixson Dick

"My condolences to David's family and friends. David was a great family man with a big heart and enjoyed helping others. He will be missed."

David helped me in my line of work here at Mosaic and I was so glad to have talked with him. I was shocked to hear of his passing. We will miss him and all that he did for us. He was a very nice man. My sympathy is with all of your family.

I had the opportunity to work for David for 7 years very early in my career and he taught me so many things that have helped me throughout my life.  He was a great leader and a great friend.  His sense of humor, his wisdom and his caring will be greatly missed.

David will be missed.  I am glad I had the opportunity to know him.  He was a great person to work for.

My last memory of Uncle Dave was on Josh's wedding day.  A couple hours before the wedding, Uncle Dave, Josh, and some of my family sat in the hotel's breakfast area and shared a couple of pizzas.  I am so thankful that our entire extended family was able to share in that very special day.  Love you, Uncle Dave!

Dear Cindy and family,
I am sorry for your loss.
Some of my fondest memories at Phila. Biblical Univ. were of working with Dave and Nick Beatty in the cafeteria dishroom. We worked many banquets together and it was always an adventure. WOW did we have a fabulous time!Of course, there was the time we broke over 100 china plates.We really weren't messing around that time, but no-one believed us. I loved Dave as a brother and I deeply regret that in the busy-ness of life we didn't keep in touch. I look forward to eternity to reconnect with a marvelous friend.
Bonita (Brown) Davis
Spartansburg, PA

Dave was a Husband, a father, a mentor and my friend.  Throughout my friendship with Dave, he provided sage advice.  Our trips hiking the Grand Canyon delivered lasting memories for me, my sons and the people Dave led on these trips; he was truly in his element.  I will be forever grateful for the time I shared with him, and will miss him dearly.

I guess God figured I had too many blessings so he took some back.  I was blessed with three fantastic daughters and am so thankful I had Amanda for 21 years.   I was blessed with loving, caring siblings, and am so glad I had David in my life for 56 years.   I also have fantastic nieces and nephews that I don't get to spend enough time with, but Tracy is waiting in heaven and we'll spend eternity together.    Lastly I had a fantastic mother (and father, most of the time....lolol) who are waiting for the rest of their children.   I picture David surrounded by people that love him there, but right now I'm here, and REALLY missing David as this new hole in my heart is sore with ragged edges.  I know it  will heal "One Sweet Day."  See you soon.   Love to all.

I had the opportunity to hike Havasupai a few times with Dave and Josh. What great examples of Christians. David was a wonderful man, and made a very positive impression on those Mission 180 boys as well as on me, and my son Brad and daughter Emily. We will remember those great times forever.

David was an amazing leader and mentor. He always made time for everyone. His passion and love for his family was evident in all that he did. I am blessed to have known and worked with David. He will be greatly missed.

David was great to work for.  He always had a sense of humor and was always ready to help.  He was extremely supportive of all his staff.  More than that, he was a man of great faith and an example to all.  There are no words to express the loss felt by Family, friends and co -workers.  He is with the Lord, but it is hard not to feel he left us all too soon.  We will miss him.
Martha Wheeler

I will remember my Uncle David every time I hear the song by Sidewalk Prophets "These are the Words I Would Say". He had the words to this song on his Facebook page a few years ago and I remember thinking what a wonderful dad, husband, uncle and what a legacy he would someday leave behind.

See you up there David, Father God please comfort David's family and give them peace that only you can give.

Our family met David and Joshua in May of 2011 while on a rafting adventure in The Grand Canyon.  It was very quickly apparent that David and Joshua had a very special relationship.  What a lasting impression they made as we shared that once in a lifetime experience.  I am thankful to have met David.  He impressed me as a very kind, caring, and gentle man. Even though I only shared 10 days with him, I will always remember him.  Bless you, David, and rest in peace.

Dave was an inspiration to me as well as an encouragement.  When working with teenagers many years ago, he taught me to think of different ways to say the same thing.  That has helped me in many ways throughout the years.  He will always be remembered with a smile. I can imagine the adventure he is having in heaven and the knowledge he'll be anxious to share with us as soon as we get there, too.

Dear Family of David Matthews:  I worked with David in his early years when he was with DES-DDD (before OLCR).  My prayers and condolences to you. I cannot attend the services but I offer a couple of quotes from Charles Spurgeon, the famous British preacher in remembrance of our friend and co-worker David:

Brethren, saints are prepared to go before they go. Our Lord does not pluck his fruit unwisely. Foolish people may tear the green apples from the tree with a pull and a wrench, and bruise them as they throw them into the basket; but our Lord values his 
fruit, and so he waits until it is quite ripe, and then he gathers it tenderly. When he puts forth his hand, the fruit bows down to it, and parts from the bough without a strain. When the believer comes to die, it will not be to an end which he feared, but 
to an end which he expected.  Charles H. Spurgeon

It is a calamity for the Church of Christ when her best men, whether ministers or deacons, are called home; yet, dear friends, it often is the case that God takes his servants home just when they are most useful. When would you have him take them home? When they are least useful?  Charles H. Spurgeon

May God Bless and comfort the Matthews family.  Mike Valdez

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

David Lynn Matthews

17 février 1956 – 29 novembre 2012

Surprise Funeral Care

Montrez votre soutien

Envoyez Vos
Condoléances

Partager
L'avis De Décès

Obtenir les mises à jour

Prestations de Service