Baker City, Oregon
Ada M. Mathews, 76, of Baker City died Nov. 4, 2002, at her home.
Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Friday at Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St. Pastor Monte Loyd of the Baker Valley Christian Assembly will officiate. Interment will be at 2 p.m. at Pilot Rock Cemetery. Visitation will be Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the funeral home.
Ada was born July 9, 1926, at Norton, Kan. She was a daughter of Merl and Mary Olive Culligan Paugh. In 1933, she moved with her parents to Milton-Freewater where she received her schooling and was educated in life.
At the age of 16, she started working in the canneries. She moved to Portland for seven years and returned to Eastern Oregon in 1961, working for Birdseye.
In January 1972, she met her future husband, Paul Mathews. They were married in December 1972.
With Paul, Ada owned and operated many businesses throughout Eastern Oregon. Some of these were the Waterhole at Umapine; the TeePee at Milton-Freewater; Paul’s Truck Stop at Irrigon; The Last Chance Tavern at Hermiston; the Nyssa Tavern at Nyssa; and Paul’s Tavern at Huntington.
In 1983, they purchased the Stockman’s in Baker City. Ada recently sold it to a couple from Portland. Besides working and running the businesses, Ada enjoyed gold mining with her husband. She loved people and being with her friends.
Ada was preceded in death by her husband, Paul, in 2001; her parents; a sister, Alice Marie Pearce; and a brother, Harold Paugh.
Survivors include her stepchildren, Paul Mathews Jr. of Portland, Brenda Paul of Baker City and Tim Mathews of Huntington; brother and sister-in-law, Ole Franklin and Viola Paugh of Portland; a niece, Anne Gunderson, and great-niece, Lisa Onstot, both of Conrad, Mont.; and nephew and niece, Myron and Brenda Sherburn of Baker City.
Memorial contributions may be made to the charity of one’s choice through Coles Funeral Home, 1950 Place St., Baker City, Oregon 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 8, 2002
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor