James Brown Matson Jr.

MATSON, Jim, age 71 of Dayton, died Friday, May 25th, 2018. Born in Evanston, Illinois, August 11th, 1946, Jim’s love for his wife Jeanne, for nearly 52 years, was patient and steadfast and the two of them loved traveling, just to be in each other’s company while exploring new places. Jim was a supportive father whose kindness, generosity, and nurturing spirit grew as he aged. He was always involved in his children’s lives, looking for ways to bond with his children as well as cheer them on. Jim’s role as a father figure extended to his role as a swim coach for the Centerville High School Swimming and Diving Team. He volunteered as an assistant swim coach for 10 years, beloved by the coaches and swimmers who valued his enthusiasm and mentorship. In Jim’s professional life, he worked at Liberty Bank as a Vice President in the Commercial Loan Department where he was proud to help small businesses and small commercial property owners. Jim loved to engage in social activities and was a part of both associations, the Dayton Bicycle Club and Tawasi. He valued the friendships he made there as well as the conversations that went on. Jim’s passion, disappointment and triumph for the Chicago Cubs baseball team rivaled the best fans. He shared great memories at Wrigley Field and enjoyed sharing the ballpark with his family and friends. He was overjoyed when the Chicago Cubs finally won the World Series in 2016. Jim Matson is survived by his wife of 48 years, Jeanne; two children, Amanda [Kathryn] and Kevin [Rocio]; brother, Ken [Deneen] ; sister, Sarah [Bill}; nieces and nephews, Andrew, Katherine, Royce, Michael, Elliot, Nick, Mike, Jeff, Kim, Chris, Emily and Rachel as well as his beloved dogs, Holly and Maggie. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, June 2nd, 2018 at Fairmont Presbyterian Church, 3705 Far Hills Ave, Kettering, OH 45429 at 2:00 pm, Rev. Kelley Shin officiating. Donations may be made in Jim’s name to SICSA, another animal rescue group, or Hospice of Dayton. Condolences may be sent to www.tobiasfuneralhomes.com.