Robert Donald Matthews

We lost a great dad, grandfather and great grandfather but he is at peace with our mother Grace. He was a proud WW2 Veteran and survivor of a large munitions dump explosion in Seal Beach during the war. After his service he was married to Grace Elaine MacDannald in 1951 and worked for his uncle Ernest Ruiz of Travelon Trailers and became his general manager. In 1965, he and our mother started the long running Matthews RV and Mobilehome Sales. Tragically, Grace passed in 2004, but he persevered and led a full, independent life surrounded by family.

He is survived by Rebecca Barnes, Robert L. Matthews, Gwen Cerda and his grandchildren Nick and Brianna Barnes, Kathleen Nguyen and Robert T. Matthews, Ryan and Sean Cerda plus his great grandchildren Edan, Haden and Archer.

Born in Modesto, California to Robert M. and his beloved Mother Margie D. Matthews. Shortly thereafter Robert and his family moved to Los Angeles until he was four years old. His mother and he returned to Modesto after his parents divorced and lived with his Grandparents; Anthony and Adela Ruiz & brother Ray Sanchez.

It was at this time that Robert was to get a nickname. They lived across the street from Washington Grammar School. He and his cousin, Gloria would watch the students go by in buses. They all laughed and thought it was funny. So, Gloria said you are a Buddy. So everyone on his mother's side started to call him Buddy. Buddy spent most of his young life in Modesto except for four short years when he lived in San Francisco where he graduated from St. Theresa Catholic Jr. High School. He graduated from Modesto High School in 1945.

Before graduation he joined the U.S. Navy in April 1945. Which as you know World War II was going on. He was shipped to San Diego Naval Station and after boot camp was assigned to go on a Destroyer with the Pacific Fleet as a gunner's mate in June 1945. But, as luck would have it the Japanese surrendered so his orders were changed. He was assigned to Seal Beach Ammunitions Naval Depot in Seal Beach, California. The purpose of the depot was to separate the good ammunition from the bad. The bad was sent out on barges and dumped in the ocean. The good was sent from the dock back to magazines or igloos for safe keeping then loaded on box cars. This one time Buddy and his mates were loading the box car with 16" black powder canisters. Buddy had the heavy lid on the canister on his side when the canister exploded into the box car killing his squad leader. The explosion blew Buddy off the dock into a gully where he watched the box car blow up and blow the magazine up. Some of his mates were injured. Buddy's hair on his head and arms were burnt. He was honorably discharged on August 8, 1946.

Buddy moved back to Modesto and enrolled in Modesto Junior College. It was at this time he was to meet the love of his life, Grace Elaine MacDannald and was introduced to the MacDannald clan which consisted of Grace and nine other siblings. Buddy and Grace's courtship lasted four years while he graduated from Modesto Jr. College and San Jose State College. So, in October 14, 1950 Grace and Buddy were married in Modesto, California. Buddy held different accounting jobs until February 1954, when his Uncle Ernie Ruiz offered him a job as Office Manager for Travelon Trailer Company. The company had several locations in the Valley from Fresno in the South to Oroville in the North. At this time trailers were simply that. Some had a bathroom, kitchen and bedroom and usually up to 30'. It was at that time someone decided to put two trailers together that became a Mobilehome. Then someone decided to put a trailer minus axle on the bed of a truck, which became the start of a Motorhome. Then someone decided to put a small trailer that would fit in the back of a pickup. This later became a Pickup Camper.

Buddy later became General Manager of the company. By this time, Buddy and Grace had started their own personal growing enterprise of raising their three children, Rebecca (Becky), Robert (Bobby) and Gwen.

In July 1965 his Uncle Ernie decided to reduce the amount of his trailer lots so he offered Buddy the Fresno lot. So Matthews Mobilehome Sales was born. Grace and Buddy ran the company together. Grace was the Office Manager and Buddy ran the business. It was at this time that for official business reasons Buddy's name was to be Robert (Bud) Matthews. Bud to all of his business associates and personnel. Bud and Grace had four sales lots for a few years that sold both Mobile Homes and RV's. They decided to pare down to one lot.

In 1986 Bud and Grace decided to stop selling Mobile Homes and concentrate on RV's. This included travel trailers, 5th wheels, pick-up campers, tent trailers and then toy haulers but not Motorhomes. Matthews Mobilehomes became Matthews R.V. Sales. Motorhomes were a bad word due to the fact the first energy crunch in 1972 if you had motorhomes. His dealership out of eleven dealers in Fresno was the only one left standing. In 1980 Bud and Grace decided to get back into the Motorhome business and luckily they only bought five Motorhomes and the second energy crunch hit. This time they and one other dealership out of eleven dealerships were the only ones left.

Then beginning in 1981, Bud and Grace began their most happiest of diversions of their next personal enterprise by being grandparents to first grandson Nick and later to follow first granddaughter Briana. Later to follow were granddaughter Kathleen, grandson Ryan, grandson Robbie and grandson Sean. He also saw his new great grandchildren Edan, Archer and Haden. He is also survived by his brother Ray Sanchez and sister Linda Ash. Also survived brother-in-laws Philip MacDannald, Dr. Harry MacDannald and sister in-laws Lila Villierme, Andrea Tonkin, Linda MacDannald, Dana MacDannald and Pat MacDannald as well as cousins Ernie Jr Ruiz, Darlene Andrus, Phyllis Hachten and Patty Padgett and many beloved nephews and nieces.

Please donate to help fight Covid related diseases. https://support.cedars-sinai.edu/campaign/cedars-sinai-emergency-response-to-covid-19/c277062 Thank you. The Matthews Family ______________________________________________________

A visitation for Robert will be held Thursday, October 28, 2021 from 8:30 AM to 9:00 AM at Holy Spirit Church, 355 E. Champlain Drive, Fresno, CA 93730. A funeral service will occur Thursday, October 28, 2021 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM, 355 E. Champlain Drive, Fresno, CA 93730. A graveside service will occur Thursday, October 28, 2021 from 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM at Lakewood Memorial Park, 900 Santa Fe Ave, Hughson, CA 95326.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.whitehurstsullivan.com for the MATTHEWS family.