NASHUA - Donald Keith Matthews, formerly of Nashua, died at his home in Clinton, TN on April 20 from cancer.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 29 at Messiah Lutheran Church in Charles City. Following the service, the family will greet friends at the church.

Donald Keith Matthews was born Nov. 18, 1936 in Charles City, the son of Lawrence and Marian Matthews and graduated from Charles City High School in 1954. Donald entered the U.S. Air Force in June 1954, serving nine years. He was a crew chief on the U-2 Spy Plane and was honorably discharged in June 1963. On Dec. 22, 1961 he was united in marriage with Dorothy Rapp in Lyle, MN; they were later divorced. On Oct. 4, 1988 he married Karen Peterson in Charleston, VA. He worked as a tool & die maker at the Oliver Corp.-White Farm, Charles City, H&H Machine & Tool in Cedar Falls, Traer Mfg. in Traer and was then transferred to Eagle Bend Mfg. in Clinton, TN. For the past few years, he was employed by Axis Fabrication & Machine Co.in Louisville, TN.

Surviving. are his wife, Karen, Clinton, TN; three sons, Barry, Ionia, Andy (Sue), Nashua, Rusty, Des Moines; one daughter, Renae Shoars, Nashua; two stepchildren, Drew Peterson and Tammy Merwin, both of Clinton, TN; eight grandchildren; one sister, Noriene (Clair) North, Charles City; one brother, Gary Matthews, Charles City.

Preceding him in death were his parents and an infant grandson, James L. Matthews.

Source: New Hampton Tribune Apr. 28, 2000 from the Elma library collection assembled by Marian (Marr) McGee, Transcribed by ABBYY FineReader® 12, Adapted to the web by Bill Waters