Rev. Richard W. Matheny (1856-1912)

MATHENY, WILSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:11

From Nevada Representative July 9 1912 (front page)

METHODIST PASTOR PASSES AWAY

REV. R. MATHENY STRICKEN
Short Illness from Angina Pectoris.

The community was greatly shocked last Saturday morning to learn of the death of Rev. R. W. Matheny, pastor of the Methodist church of this city. The event occurred at seven o'clock on Saturday morning after an illness that had been very brief and not even regarded as dangerous. He had been chatting with friends on the street Wednesday evening and had attended a Fourth of July picnic Thursday at the Ed. Briggs place. At the picnic, however, he as not feeling especially well and Friday morning a physician was called. Friday evening he was worse, and a nurse was secured. She watched him through the night; but he had been doing well and pleasant remarks had just passed when suddenly he fell back and died.

Mr. Matheny came to Nevada with his wife and younger son last September, having been assigned to this charge at the Des Moines conference of the Methodist church. He took up his pastoral duties an once and also made himself a welcome caller on the stores and offices on the business street. He rapidly gained a standing with the whole community and be established himself fully, not only as an efficient pastor but also as a citizen of the sort that it is pleasant to have around. He mixed with the people, participated in their festivals and made himself a factor in the community. The sudden death of such a man in such a position is loss deeply and widely felt, and it is long since the people here have been similarly shocked.

The funeral arrangements waited slightly to hear from the older son, whose home is in Everett, Washington; but he stared east at once and is expected here tonight. Accordingly the funeral has been set for Wednesday at 9:00 a. m. at the Methodist church an it will be conducted by Elders Ilganfritz and Holmes.

The interment will be at Indianola where Mrs. Matheny had determined to make her home in what is in effect the capital of Methodism for this conference.

Richard W. Matheny was born in Appanoose county, Iowa September 11, 1856, and died as stated at Nevada, Iowa, July 6, 1912, aged 55 years, 9 months and 25 days. His father was a Methodist minister in the active work of his calling and the consequence was that the youth spent his boyhood at a good many places in southern Iowa. His later education was in high school at Des Moines and in Simpson College at Indianola. He entered the ministry in 1876 and from that time on he had been actively in the ministerial work of the Des Moines conference. He has had numerous charges of which the best known have been Greenfield, Audobon, Guthrie Center, Winterset, Jefferson, Malvern and Nevada. He was married on September 11, 1880 to Miss Jennie Wilson of Columbus, Marion county, and she with their two sons survives him, as also his aged father, two brothers and two sisters. The sons are Asbury E. R. of Everett, Wash., who has a wife and son, and Raymond W., a youth at home and in the Nevada high school.

Of absent relatives there are here of expected the son Asbury, Rev. James E. Matheny of the Fifth Avenue church in Council Bluffs, a brothr, and two brothers of Mrs. Matheny, W. A. Wilson, with his daughter, of Columbia, and J. T. Wilson, with his wife, of Knoxville.