Mathew Brown

Mathew Charles Brown, 92, died peacefully in his sleep on Saturday June 3, 2023 at Mercy Hospital Inpatient Hospice following complications from a back injury and surgical procedure. He was born on January 29, 1931, in Summerfield, OK the second child and oldest son of 8 children born to (James) Other and Lydia (Gibson) Brown. He graduated High School in Oakdale, CA. After High School he went on to serve his country in the U.S. Navy during WWll and the Korean war.

On September 29, 1956 Matt married the love of his life, Wanda Sue Mathies. He loved and cherished her above all else. Theirs truly was a match made in heaven. They had three children and remained happily married for 66 years.

Matt pursued a career in law enforcement and was accepted onto the California Highway Patrol where he proudly served for 30 years. As a result of his numerous promotions, he was transferred to and served in many different California cities including Modesto, Truckee, Merced, Los Angeles and finally Crescent City where he retired as a Lieutenant in Command. During his service he gained the respect and friendship of many fellow officers. He was renowned up and down the state for his remarkable memory of the laws and their corresponding codes in the California Penal code.

After his retirement he briefly tried his hand at commercial fishing before deciding to relocate back to the Modesto area where he became a successful Real Estate Broker, finally fully retiring in Fort Smith, AR in 2004.

He was an avid reader who was rarely seen without a book in hand. Many of the books he read were “how to” books and as a result he became the go to person for anything that needed to be built or fixed. He was very proud of the fact that he never had to call a repairman or contractor to fix or build anything in his home. He also enjoyed wood working and designed and built numerous items for his family including a swing set for his grandchildren, cedar lined Hope chests for his granddaughters at graduation, and various bookcases, desks and chairs that still serve his family today.

He had a wonderful sense of humor and loved teasing or telling a good joke. Golfing with his brothers was one of his favorite pastimes and he loved “showing them how it was done”

His Christian faith was important to him and he enjoyed attending Cavanaugh Free Will Baptist Church in Fort Smith, AR until recent years when attendance became difficult for his wife Wanda.

Matt is survived by his wife Wanda Brown, his daughters Susan (Scott) Pribyl of Green Bay, WI; Lisa (Rick) Hampton of Fort Smith, AR; Daughter-in-law Mary Brown of Willits CA; two sisters Frieda Dunn and Sandy Bourland, both of Riverbank CA; two brothers James Brown (JoAnn) and Jerry (Wanda) Brown both of Riverbank, CA along with twelve grandchildren, Taryn (Kyle )Werych, Cedar Park, TX; Jesse (Haley) Santos, Crooksville, OH; Tawny (Ian) Lopilato, Redondo Beach, CA; Jon Rouse, Sallisaw, OK; Scott (Angelina) Torres, Willits, CA; Talia (Jared) Zottola-McGivern, Chatsworth, CA; Tyler (Desiree’) Zottola, San Diego, CA; Riley Zottola, Lodi, CA; Justin Zottola, San Diego, CA; Justin (Ashley) Hampton, Raleigh, North Carolina; Jonathan (Ashley) Hampton, San Diego, CA; Jillian (T.J.) Hampton, Knoxville, TN.

He was preceded in death by his son Randy Brown and his sisters Dorothy Dunn, Joyce Skinner and Kathy Gillman.

Funeral Services will be 1:00 pm Monday, June 12, 2023 at Edwards Funeral Home Chapel, with burial to follow at the Fort Smith National Cemetery.