Stanford (Johnnie) Louis Matchie (1922-2010)

MATCHIE, DUNN, PICKETT, ERHARDT, TOPP, VAN MEETEREN, YEAZEL, SHAFFER, RAKES, WILLIAMS, GATTON, JENSEN, MEECH, BORTON, SCHROEDER

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 4/25/2010 at 11:45:41

THE STORY CITY HERALD, Story City, Story County, Iowa, Wednesday, March 31, 2010.

Stanford (Johnnie) Louis Matchie was born Sept. 29, 1922 in Marshalltown to Frank Joseph and Edna Catherine (Dunn) Matchie.

He attended various country schools in the Marshalltown area and on Dec. 8, 1944 joined the Army. Johnnie took basic training in Texas. He served on the Philippine Islands and in Occupied Japan. He was discharged on Nov. 26, 1946.

On June 12, 1949, Johnnie and Arlene Hazel Pickett were married in Zion Lutheran Church of Radcliffe. After their marriage the couple lived near Beaman, Ackley and then moved back to Arlene's family home five miles south of Radcliffe. He farmed all of his life until retirement in 1987.

Johnnie and Arlene had four children, Stanford Jr, Sharon, Steven, and Larry. He was a member of Zion Lutheran Church, Radcliffe Legion, and past member and board member of the Hardin County Farm Bureau.

Johnnie was an avid fisherman and enjoyed all things outdoors. Since a teenager, he kept bees and was called to rescue swarms from around the county. He loved storytelling and one of his favorites was about his own birthday. Throughout his life, birthdays were celebrated on Oct. 29 until age 65 he discovered that it was Sept. 29. So he celebrated two birthdays every year after that.

He is survived by his wife Arlene of Radcliffe; one daughter, Sharon and husband Clifton Erhardt of Gaston, Oregon; two sons, Steven and wife Anita (Topp) of Radcliffe and Larry and wife Vonda (Van Meeteren) of Roland; six grandchildren, Morgan and Jessica Erhardt, Brett and Katie Matchie, Sara and Chad Matchie; two great-grandchildren, Aidan Yeazel-Matchie and Cholie Shaffer-Matchie; four half-sisters,
Rosemary Rakes of Marshalltown, Catherine Williams of Grant City, Missouri, Joyce Gatton of Wisconsin, and Yvonne Jensen of Wisconsin; one half-brother, Edward Meech of Marshalltown.

Johnnie was preceded in death by his mother, father, stepfather Ed Meech, one sister Miriam Anne Matchie (infancy), one brother Francis (Pete) Matchie, one half-brother Robert Matchie, three half-sisters Marjorie Borton, Mary Meech, and Eilene Schroeder, one son Stanford Jr., one granddaughter Erin Matchie.