Obituary of Norman Lee Mathews

Norman Lee Mathews passed away quietly after a brief battle with Melanoma cancer on November 15, 2010  in his home in Stow.   Born and raised in Niles, Ohio, and a graduate of McKinley High School in 1954, Norm received his BS in Music Education at Ohio University in 1958, and continued on to complete his Master of Education in 1963.  Norm’s prestigious teaching career spanned almost 50 years, serving as band director/teacher at Cridersville, Loudonville, Nordonia (1963-1978), and West Geauga until 1998.  After retirement, Mr. Mathews continued giving private music lessons in the West Geauga and Hudson school systems.  He had a gift of teaching music to young people and giving them a way to express, learn, and grow.  Norm’s life was dedicated to his love of music and was involved with the North Coast Mens’ Chorus and various performing ensembles, including his own orchestra during his college years, and was a guest conductor for many bands and orchestras.  Norm served as a member of the Twinsburg Board of Education (1984-1987) where he lived for 21 years, and held memberships in various music organizations. Mr. Mathews’ recent years have been blessed with four grandsons, whom he loved to visit and spend time with.    Preceded in death by parents Vernie L. Mathews and Elizabeth A. (Mincsak) Mathews, and son-in-law Christopher Brown (Wendy Jo), he is survived by daughters Wendy Jo Marsinek (Larry) of Hudson, Andrea Lee Miller (Steve) of Overland Park, Kansas, and Kendra Mathews, Lt Col, USAF (Walter Clark) of Alexandria, Virginia; grandsons Spencer L. Marsinek, 2ndLt, USMC currently serving in Afghanistan, Karl C. Miller, Graham R. Miller, and Joseph T. Clark; six great-grandchildren; brother Wayne (Janet) Mathews of Niles and uncle Andrew Luptak of Warren.   Friends are invited to Redmon Funeral Home for visitation Wednesday 6 to 9 PM, where services will be held Thursday 10 AM.  Burial Silver Springs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in memory of Norman Mathews to either the West Geauga Band Boosters (P.O. Box 62, Chesterland, Ohio 44026) or the Hudson Music Association (118 W. Streetsboro St. #105, Hudson, Ohio 44236.)