Virginia Stryker Mathews

August 16, 1930 – September 26, 2016

Virginia Perin Stryker Mathews died peacefully at her home in San Diego, extremely grateful for her many blessings. She held her family together for sixty years with unconditional love for them and unflinching faith in God and country.

Born in Plainview, Minnesota in 1930 to William Byrd and Florence Frances Stryker, her life’s rhythm was set when her father joined the Army Medical Corps. Traveling to exciting places but having to move every few years defined the first half of her life. After attending grammar schools in two states and the Philippines, Virginia graduated from Summit School for Girls in St. Paul. She moved to Seattle to attend the University of Washington and graduated in 1952.

Ginny then joined the Navy and was commissioned an Ensign in the Supply Corps. After four years she resigned to marry her husband, Charles J. Mathews, a fellow Navy Lieutenant (Civil Engineer Corps). Virginia converted to Catholicism for marriage but would remain devout and observant for the rest of her life. As a young Navy wife, life’s tempo picked up. With each of the first four moves, a new daughter was added to the family; in Buffalo, New York they had Patty, Adak, Alaska, Elizabeth (Bits), San Diego, California, Catherine and Newark, Ohio, Mary.

Ginny and Charlie made sure the girls were exposed to other cultures and travelled with them when most couples would have left them at home. They were later stationed in Rhode Island and then the Philippines, and from there they travelled to Thailand, Taiwan and Japan. Ginny continued to work for the Navy Relief Society and held various offices in Officer’s Wives clubs where she helped organize charitable events, though her primary focus was always on educating her daughters.

Eventually the family settled in San Diego and Virginia found a new community in the parish at St. Therese where she continued to serve where and when she could. Though busy with teenagers, Virginia also cared for her mother in law and her own parents as they aged.

Perhaps her greatest joy came with her role as Grandmother. The second half of her life was spent in one house, traveling for leisure and spending time with her grandkids at the beach and zoo. Though known for her birthday cakes, Ginny also enjoyed Bible Study, Bridge, crosswords, and camping.

Virginia is preceded in death by her parents and granddaughter Melissa Danielle Coffelt. She is survived by her sister Patricia Stryker, her cousin Ruth Gordon of St. Paul, her husband of 60 years, Capt. Charles J. Mathews (CEC-USN, Ret.) and their daughters and partners, Patricia Burningham and Mel Briggs, Elizabeth and Sammi Nedjar, Catherine Mathews and Brian Powell and Mary and Bruce Offord, her grandchildren, Kristin Burningham Zacheis, Lindsay S. Burningham, Hillary Coffelt Muller, Mathew Offord, Trevor Offord, Brockton Nedjar and Bella Nedjar and her great grandchildren, Emma, Charles, and Ellison Zacheis and Ezra and Julian Muller. The symphony that was Virginia’s life may have ended but her sweet song will continue in them.

A funeral Mass will be held on October 7, 2016 at 3:00pm with a reception to follow.

St. Therese Catholic Church, 6016 Camino Rico, San Diego, CA 92120

In lieu of flowers please donate to the American Cancer Society at P.O. Box 22538, Oklahoma City, OK 73123

6 Camino Rico, San Diego22538, CA 9212

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