Earl Henry Matthewson was born in Winona, Mississippi on November 22, 1917. He married Anna Elizabeth Bystedt. He died in Seldovia on November 17, 1997 and is buried in the Seldovia City Cemetery in Plot #265. The cause of death is unknown.
Anchorage Daily News November 21, 1997
Longtime Seldovia resident Earl Henry Matthewson, 79, died Nov. 17, 1997, at the Horizon House in Anchorage. A remembrance gathering was held in Anchorage. Arrangements are for burial in Seldovia.
Mr. Matthewson, ‘‘Mattie’’ to friends and family, was born Nov. 22, 1917, in Winona, Miss. He came to Alaska in the winter of 1940 with the U.S. Army. He was discharged from the Army at the level of staff sergeant after serving in World War II. He remembered his first years as ‘‘freezing in the winter, fighting off mosquitoes in the summer and working our fool heads off in between.’’ He and his wife lived on a family homestead in the Bird Creek Area. His fondest memories were of searching for gold around his cabin. That same cabin was used by the Alaska railroad as a work camp in 1916, during the construction of the railroad between Anchorage and Seward, and later became the Bird House Bar. Mr. Matthewson and his wife moved to Seldovia in 1960 where they homesteaded a small piece of land two miles outside town. Once they built their cabin they became full-time residents of Seldovia. Mr. Matthewson lived there until an illness forced him to move into Anchorage. During his time in Seldovia, Mr. Matthewson was very active in civic service. He served seven years on the City Council and two terms as Seldovia’s representative in the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly. Mr. Matthewson loved to travel. His first trip abroad was in 1973, when he and his wife went to the Scandinavian countries to visit her parents’ homeland. Since that time he visited other locations in Europe, China and parts of Africa. As he grew older he traveled less, but continued to travel through reading. His granddaughter said, ‘‘Mattie shared his passion for life with those around him. He never turned down an opportunity to share the slides of his travels with anyone. His grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many school children enjoyed reciting the poetry of Robert Service. The ‘‘Cremation of Sam McGee’’ was an all-time favorite. He was also the number one choice for team player in a game of Trivial Pursuit.’’ Mr. Matthewson was preceded in death by his wife, Anna E. Bystedt Matthewson, and son, Robert Raymond Shirnberg.
He is survived by his daughter-in-law, Laura Shirnberg of Anchorage; grandchildren, Bob, Earl, Ann, Richard and wife Faye Shirnberg, all of Anchorage; Scott and wife Donna of Wasilla, Bonnie Carlson and husband Kevin of Texas and Sharon Lyons and husband Ron of Wyoming; seven great-grandchildren; and nephews, Ken Bystedt of Anchorage, Fred Bystedt of California and Gus Bystedt of Fairbanks, and their families. Arrangements were by Anchorage Funeral Home.