Dorothy Matthews

Dorothy Cauthorn Matthews, 98, passed away at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission on August 30, 2024. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 28, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Ottawa, KS.  The family will greet friends for a visitation from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at the church.

Dorothy, the daughter of William and Ardis (Squires) Cauthorn, was born on June 16, 1926 in Mexico, MO.  Growing up on a farm in Molina, MO, Dorothy graduated from the Mexico High School in 1943. She attended Comptometer Business School in St. Louis before working at A.P. Green Brick Company.  In the summer of 1943 at the Audrian County Fair, Dorothy was playing clarinet in the Mexico City Band while Loren Matthews was playing clarinet in the Army Band from Fort Leonard Wood.  This chance encounter set off a chain of events that led to Dorothy and Loren’s wedding on January 28, 1945 in Mexico, MO. While Loren was stationed at Fort Leonard Wood, Dorothy did secretarial work at the Army Base Headquarters.

In 1946, they moved to Bucklin, KS where Loren was the junior high and high school band director and Dorothy assisted him as the piano accompanist.  Then for two years, Dorothy and Loren managed a Gift Shop in Stillwater, OK.  Realizing that music education was their passion, they moved in 1949 to Conway Springs, KS where Loren was the band director while Dorothy played the piano for school and church events.  During their ten years in Conway Springs, their three sons, Ron, Greg, and Alan were born.  They moved to Ottawa, KS in 1959 when Loren became the junior high and high school band director.  Ottawa music students regularly rotated in and out of the Matthews’ home to practice their state competition solos with Dorothy, who was the piano accompanist for each and every one of them.

Dorothy was a member of the Ottawa First United Methodist Church where she was in the Oxford Service Forum Sunday School class and U.M.W.  She was the accompanist for the adult choir that Loren directed.  She started and directed the youth handbell choir.  In 1964, when there was a need for a new organist at the church, Dorothy stepped up to the challenge and enrolled in organ lessons at Ottawa University and Emporia State University.  She served as the church organist at Ottawa First United Methodist Church for fifty-four years.  From 1974 to 1999, Dorothy worked at Litwins in downtown Ottawa where she enjoyed helping customers and decorating the display window on Main Street.  Dorothy was also a member of the Skilton Music Club, City Teachers’ Wives Group and the Ottawa Historical Society. 

One of Dorothy’s greatest joys was spending time with her grandchildren, Sarah, Paul (Whitney), Doug, Emily, and her great-grandson, Miles.

Dorothy was preceded in death by Loren, her husband of forty-five years who passed away in 1990; and her brother, Eldon Cauthorn.  She is survived by her three sons, Ron Matthews, Ottawa; Greg (Janet) Matthews, Olathe, KS; Alan (Martha) Matthews, Urbandale, IA; four grandchildren; one great-grandson; her sister, Marie Conner, Mexico, MO; and her nieces and nephews.

Memorial contributions may be made to Ottawa First United Methodist Church and sent c/o Lamb-Roberts-Price Funeral Home, P.O. Box 14, Ottawa, KS 66067. Condolences may be sent to the family through www.lamb-roberts.com.

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