Harold Lee Mathews, age 74 of Zephyrhills, Fl. went to be with the Lord on October 5, 2019, surrounded by family at his bedside.

He was preceded in death by his parents and grandparents, and several aunts & uncles.

He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Princelia (Penny) Mathews, his sons, Scott R. (Sherri) Mathews, Brian L. Mathews, and his daughter Shannan (Michael) Meilunas, all of Binghamton, NY.

He is also survived by his sister Elise (David II) Shoemaker, of Elmira, NY, his brother David J. Mathews of Watkins Glen, NY, Sister in-law June (David) Cornell of Corning, NY.

He is survived by his extended family Dorothy I. Ross of Hernando, Fl and Samuel Ross also of Hernando, Fl.

He is survived by his 11 grandchildren and 1 great granddaughter, several nieces & nephews and cousins, aunts & uncles.

Harold was born in Montour Falls Hospital, NY and raised in Watkins Glen, NY. He graduated from Watkins Glen High School 1963. He graduated from Geneseo State College (SUNY) Geneseo, NY in 1967. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in S. Korea.

He returned to teach junior and senior high school science, biology, earth science and chemistry at Mary Vale Jr. High School in Buffalo, NY and Medina Jr. High School, Medina, NY.

He began his masters degree at (SUNY) Geneseo State college when he met and married his wife. He changed programs to Mercy Hospital, Buffalo, NY. He graduated as a A.S.C.P. Medical Technologist, and also worked & taught at Mercy Hospital, Buffalo, NY.

He relocated to Endicott, NY to be near family as he began his family with the birth of his first son. He worked at Wilson Hospital, Johnson City, NY. For 21 years. His love of running, bicycling and intra mural sports with co-workers continued while raising his family. His love of God grew as he attended Union Center Christian Church and Union Center United Methodist Church in Endicott, NY for 25 years.

He retired to pursue his passion of writing. He was a published author of anthology of short stories but there are numerous stories and poems left for his family to enjoy privately.

He loved bicycling, running, baseball, intramural sports through the years. He relocated to Zephyrhills, FL when his wife retired and continued to run, bicycle, play baseball actively. He loved gutting and remodeling his parent's home as well as helping neighbors and friends.

He loved the church we found in Zephyrhills and baptized Catholic. He loved reading the Bible, Bible studies, opening and welcoming everyone into church each Sunday at St. Josephs Church in Zephyrhills, FL.

He loved his dogs Mascot/Snuffy and secondly Missie but most of all he loved his grandchildren. He loved caring for them, playing games, baseball, walking, or watching them at play. Each one he encouraged from Cody L. Mathews, Joseph N. Meilunas, Brianne Mathews, Mikayla Mathews, Addisyn Ross, Brian Mathews Jr., Andrew Meilunas, Eli Ross, Aly Rought, Daniel Rought Jr, Logan Mathews, to his great granddaughter, Shiloh Mathews.

His wife, children, grandchildren, family, friends will remember how kind, honest, loving, passionate, wonderful, and full of life he was. Now hes in Gods care with no pain and disease, though we will miss him tremendously.

A Memorial Mass will be held at St. Josephs Catholic Church in Zephyrhills, FL on Friday, October 18, 2019 at 11 a.m.

In the summer of 2020, there will be a memorial service and burial at Vestal Hills Cemetery in Vestal, NY with date and time to be determined.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church