Richard L. Matthies, 82, of Downers Grove and a former 33-year resident of Oak Park, died on Aug. 27, 2019. He earned a B.A. degree at Cornell College in Iowa, his master’s degree at Purdue University, and did additional graduate work at the University of Wisconsin Madison where he met his wife, Mary Ellen.
Mr. Matthies was a dean at Oak Park and River Forest High School for 22 years. He served as a member of the Oak Park Fire and Police Commission for 10 years. After taking early retirement, he was part-time coordinator of volunteers at Oak Park Hospital for 12 years.
The couple moved to Downers Grove in 2002, and he then served on the Downers Grove Fire and Police Commission for six years.
Richard Matthies was the husband of Mary Ellen (nee Leavitt); the father of Kristin (Mark Angel) and Kent (Kristin Shipler); and the grandfather of Micah and Ellis Matthies. He was preceded in death by his brother, Bob; and his sister, Buena Copsey, her husband, Steve, and their sons and families.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 28 at 2 p.m. at the DuPage Unitarian Universalist Church, 1828 Old Naperville Road in Naperville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorials may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan, Floor 17, Chicago 60601 (please include “In memorial to Richard Matthies” on the memo line).
