Obituary for Hubert O Matheny, Jr
Barrington, NH: Hubert (Burt) Otis Matheny, Jr, 66, passed away on July 20, 2021, at home after a long battle with cancer with his sister and wife by his side. Burt was born July 3, 1955 in Malden, MA to Hubert Otis Matheny, Jr and Diane Kathleen Slade (Matheny) (Bedell).
He grew up in Malden, MA, graduating from Malden High School in 1974. He was on the track team and played the French horn in the high school band. After graduation he joined the USAF as a firefighter from 1975 to 1979. In 1976 he married the most important person in his life Aliceann Wright and was very happily married for 45 years.
After discharge from the Air force, as a Sargent, he moved to New Hampshire and became a firefighter at Durham/UNH where he rose up in the ranks to shift captain, retiring after 38 years in 2008. He worked part-time at Toys R Us until 2016. Burt volunteered for 25 years at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park in Rye, NH. He cared very much for his friends at the center, the creatures of the ocean and teaching children about the rocky shore.
In 2020 he was found to have terminal Stage 4 cancer originating in the GI tract that metastasized to the lungs. He attempted chemotherapy to reduce the cancer so he and his beloved Alice could travel or ride the back roads of NH, but it was not successful. He and Alice have no children but had many nieces and nephews that he wished he had been able to spend more time with, loved each and every one of them and was proud of them too. He leaves behind His brother Gary Matheny and wife Lilian (Bjurselius) and the mother of Gary’s children Ulla Gunilla Eriksson; his sisters Margo (Matheny) Kneeland and her husband Kevin; Gloria (Matheny) Eren. Sister-in-Law Cynthia (Wright) Haggerty and her husband Brian. Nephews and Nieces Scott Kneeland and wife Michelle (Kobelan); Kelly (Kneeland) Daugherty and husband Mike; Julie (Kneeland) Morris and husband Patrick; Adam Otis Matheny and Jennifer; Gabriella Lina Matheny and partner Georgios Karvelas; Thomas Haggerty and wife Amanda (Schott) and Captain Rebecca Haggerty.
He was preceded in death by his mother and her husband Paul Bedell; father Hubert and stepmother Lela Laverne (Paul) Matheny; Grandparents Edward Charles Slade and Beatrice Viola Peterson who were very important figures in Burt’s life.
Burt’s greatest pleasure in life was being with his wife Alice. She was the rock that made all things possible for him. He loved her dearly and always. He cared deeply for his siblings, nephews and nieces, great nieces and nephews and best friends Paul Howes and Rick Miller, but was never able to spend the time he wanted too with them or show them how much they meant to him. He is proud of all of them and hopes they all live well.
Burt’s only regret is not being able to spend more time with the love of his life, friend, wife Alice.
Burt remains will be cremated. At this time there are no plans for a service, though a remembrance may be held in the future.
Burt requests that if anyone wishes to do something in his memory to please give a donation to the Seacoast Science Center at Rye, NH a very special place to him.
Arrangements are under the direction of Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Rt 4 Lee, NH. To sign our online guestbook, please go to www.purdyfuneralservice.com
He grew up in Malden, MA, graduating from Malden High School in 1974. He was on the track team and played the French horn in the high school band. After graduation he joined the USAF as a firefighter from 1975 to 1979. In 1976 he married the most important person in his life Aliceann Wright and was very happily married for 45 years.
After discharge from the Air force, as a Sargent, he moved to New Hampshire and became a firefighter at Durham/UNH where he rose up in the ranks to shift captain, retiring after 38 years in 2008. He worked part-time at Toys R Us until 2016. Burt volunteered for 25 years at the Seacoast Science Center at Odiorne State Park in Rye, NH. He cared very much for his friends at the center, the creatures of the ocean and teaching children about the rocky shore.
In 2020 he was found to have terminal Stage 4 cancer originating in the GI tract that metastasized to the lungs. He attempted chemotherapy to reduce the cancer so he and his beloved Alice could travel or ride the back roads of NH, but it was not successful. He and Alice have no children but had many nieces and nephews that he wished he had been able to spend more time with, loved each and every one of them and was proud of them too. He leaves behind His brother Gary Matheny and wife Lilian (Bjurselius) and the mother of Gary’s children Ulla Gunilla Eriksson; his sisters Margo (Matheny) Kneeland and her husband Kevin; Gloria (Matheny) Eren. Sister-in-Law Cynthia (Wright) Haggerty and her husband Brian. Nephews and Nieces Scott Kneeland and wife Michelle (Kobelan); Kelly (Kneeland) Daugherty and husband Mike; Julie (Kneeland) Morris and husband Patrick; Adam Otis Matheny and Jennifer; Gabriella Lina Matheny and partner Georgios Karvelas; Thomas Haggerty and wife Amanda (Schott) and Captain Rebecca Haggerty.
He was preceded in death by his mother and her husband Paul Bedell; father Hubert and stepmother Lela Laverne (Paul) Matheny; Grandparents Edward Charles Slade and Beatrice Viola Peterson who were very important figures in Burt’s life.
Burt’s greatest pleasure in life was being with his wife Alice. She was the rock that made all things possible for him. He loved her dearly and always. He cared deeply for his siblings, nephews and nieces, great nieces and nephews and best friends Paul Howes and Rick Miller, but was never able to spend the time he wanted too with them or show them how much they meant to him. He is proud of all of them and hopes they all live well.
Burt’s only regret is not being able to spend more time with the love of his life, friend, wife Alice.
Burt remains will be cremated. At this time there are no plans for a service, though a remembrance may be held in the future.
Burt requests that if anyone wishes to do something in his memory to please give a donation to the Seacoast Science Center at Rye, NH a very special place to him.
Arrangements are under the direction of Purdy Memorial Chapel, 2 Concord Rd., Rt 4 Lee, NH. To sign our online guestbook, please go to www.purdyfuneralservice.com