James D Mathers

Memorial Service at Hart-Wyatt Funeral Home Chapel, Monday, February 27, 2017 at 11:30 am, with Military Honors to follow at 1:00 pm at Fort Sill National Cemetery, Elgin, OK.

USAF Ret. MSgt James Donald Mathers was born February 5, 1948 at Modesto, CA and departed this life in Oklahoma City, OK on February 18, 2017 at the age of 69 years and 13 days.

James grew up at Modesto, CA, graduating from Thomas Downing High School in 1967. He then joined the United States Air Force, serving his country honorably in Vietnam. He returned home to California where he eventually married Kathleen Joan Kovich in August of 1977 at Modesto.

James made a 20 year career of the Air Force serving on numerous bases, such as, Lajes Field Azores, Omaha Offutt AFB, Travis AFB Fairfield, CA, Yokota Japan and Tinker AFB to name a few. He was always active in the communities he served in and even helped build a church. His goal was to respect the traditions of the country he was serving in and at the same time try to help improve their lives. Before retiring in August of 1988 at Tinker AFB he was involved in the planning of troop movement to the desert.

He retired to Choctaw, OK, but soon moved the family to Temple, where he accomplished his dream of building a home. He didn’t sit still for long, becoming a truck driver, working for various companies until his retirement from the profession in 2013.

In high school James played football and was a state champion wrestler and diver. He also played football in college. He enjoyed riding and racing motorcycles, doing woodwork, playing golf and riding horses. He loved the outdoors, going to the mountains and camping. Jim had been a Boy Scout and later served as a troop leader. He had been a member of the American Legion, the VFW Post 5263 and the Top 3 Club. He was a proud member of the Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

Survivors include his wife, Kathleen, of the home; 3 children and their families, son James P. and Robin Mathers and children, Mike Carriker, Dakota and Jimmy Mathers, son Jon D.H. Mathers and Pam Allen, daughter Jennifer M. Young and children, Paul B.F. Mathers, Stacia Crow and Dylan Crow all of Temple, OK;  another like a son, Mike Pittman of Walters; a brother, Francis Dale Mathers; an uncle, Frank Tucker wife Rebina of Temple; 2 aunts, Wilma Eager of Jay, OK and Evie Matheny of California; other relatives and many friends.