This week’s post suggestion is ‘Overlooked’. I had a very tough time trying to find a relative in our family tree that I had overlooked, taken my time researching or just haven’t found.

Something came up on my Facebook newsfeed that caught my eye. It was posted by my cousin, Lynn. Lynn is my 1^st cousin 1x removed on my father’s side through his mother. Lynn and I met through my ancestry research. We got together a couple of years ago and just haven’t been able to reconnect since then (not for lack of Lynn’s trying!). She was in my area earlier this month, but again, we were not able to get together. She did reach out to me last May hoping I could meet her father and possibly do an interview for the blog. And, once again, life got in the way.

For this blog post, overlooked to me means not making those connections when you’re given the chance. Unfortunately, Lynn’s father, Richard Dennis Matthew, passed away earlier this month. I regret not taking the time to meet with him. However, I do know that Lynn will keep his memory going with her family ancestry work.

I have been given permission from Lynn to post her father’s obituary:

Richard Dennis Matthew

Born:  26 May 1935 in New Westminster, BC

Died:  05 Jan. 2025 in Surrey, BC

He is survived from his first marriage with Ruth Bedard by daughters Valerie Lynn Carr (John Braak), Deidre J. Matthew and son Darryl W. Matthew. 5 grandsons Adam, Darcee, Travis, Rhyse, Gage.

Margueritte O’Niell, his second wife passed in 1985.

Adella Davis, his third wife passed in 2018. He is survived by stepdaughters Anita Davis and Brenda Holt (John Holt) and grandchildren Laurissa, James, and Evan.

His brother John Matthew and sister Valerie Parks have both passed on. Survived by his brother and sister Jeff and Nola Bedard.

Richard graduated from Duke of Connaught high school in New Westminster in 1954.

He joined the RCAF in 1955 and was stationed in Germany during the cold war, working as a radar technician. It was there he was in a serious car accident that gave in a titanium hip and a painful limp for the rest of his life.

He was stationed in Cold Lake, Trenton and Summerside before retiring as a master corporal.

Richard had a passion for stamp collecting and was a 58 year member of the Royal Philatelic Society of Canada. He and his friend Clair could spend hours combing through his collection. He was also an avid watcher of movies and TV series and kept a written record of thousands of shows he watched. We were regularly over for Pizza and Picard on the Sci Fi Channel.

He gave his energy to several charities, most notably the Implant Awareness Society where he and Adella spent countless hour supporting the cause.

Richard passed quietly after a brief residency at the Fleetwood Place care home in Surrey BC.

These are Lynn’s words from her post: “I would also like to add at 89 yrs old, a pacemaker and a titanium hip he did really well.”

Lynn & family, I’m so sorry I didn’t get the chance to meet Richard – my sincerest condolences on losing your father, brother and grandfather. Please remember to keep the stories alive.

For everyone else, remember to take the time to make those connections, gather the stories and make some memories – you never know what could happen.