~~~~My Grandfather~~~~

Nile was born May 9, 1906 in Oakley, Idaho, the twelfth and youngest child of Harrison Reynolds and Sarah Ann Williams. He was raised on a large cattle and sheep ranch during his youth he spent his time putting up hay, herding cattle and sheep, and milking cows. Nile's most painful memory was when he was 12 and his mother died of Pneumonia. The night before she died, she had a terrible fever and Nile was sent to a neighbor to borrow an electric fan to cool her. The next day after she died, he overheard his dad say that if hadn't been for the cold air from the fan, she might still be alive. The rest of his youth, he thought her death was his fault. In high school he served as president both his freshman and senior classes ane in 1924 graduated from Oakley High Scool.
In 1925-1927, Nile served a mission for the Church of Latter-day Saints in the Eastern States mission. B.H. Roberts was his mission president and he served mostly in Boston and New York Cites although he did spend some time out in the country.
After returning to Oakley, he was told by his older brothers that there was no room for him on the ranch and he had better leave. He moved to Salt Lake City and got a job selling clothing and shoes at the Arthur Frank Men's Store. During that time, he met Dorothy Hardy and they dated for a couple of years. Nile then went to work for JC Penny Co. and during the Depression, he moved to Lewistown, Montana to manage their store. He sold clothes to a local mortician and they became good friends and after awhile, the mortician offered him a job. Nile worked for hime for about three years and then moved back to Salt Lake City.
At this time, he met Dorothy again and they were married in 1933. The marriage was later solemized in the Salt Lake LDS Temple. He got a job running a small mortuary in Eureka, Utah and in 1936, their first child, Leonard Harrison, was born in Salt Lake City. By the end of that year, they moved back to Salt Lake and in 1937 their second child, Dorothy Anne was born. In July 1939, their third child, Georgia Hardy, was born. In the fall, Nile moved to San Francisco to enroll in the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science. The rest of the family stayed in Salt Lake City. He graduated a year later and moved back to join his family in Salt Lake.
Nile couldn't find a job there so they moved to Burley, Idaho where they lived and he ran the mortuary there. His goal was to find a mortuary that he could buy. After two years in Burley, the family moved to Jerome for a year, then to Bozeman, Montana for a year, and then back to Salt Lake City for another year. In 1945 while living behind Larkin Mortuary their fourth child, John Robert, was born in the same hospital the other three children were born. The next year, Nile got the opportunity to purchase the mortuary in Montpelier, Idaho from Frank Williams and they soon moved to Montpelier in May of that year.
Nile passed the exams and soon had his license in Idaho, but he also needed to have a Wyoming license. He had obtained his license in Utah while he was still working in Utah. Wyoming was serious problem because he had never worked in Wyoming and had never lived there. Also, the mortician in Kemmerer didn't want Nile to get a license in Wyoming because he thought that, if Nile didn't have one, then he wouldn't be able to get all of the Cokeville business. However, Nile had become good friends with the Schwab family in Afton, Wyoming because they needed him to do their embalming. In those days, there were several small mortuaries around that were owned by funeral directors that did not have an embalmer's license. After fighting about it for two years they finally gave Nile his Wyoming License.
Nile was a very busy because he was now doing all of the embalming for the mortuary in Soda Springs as well as in Afton, and of course, all of his own business in the Bear Lake area. He also purchased the ambulance business along with the mortuary.
The mortuary in Montpeier was located at 819 Washington St. and as of this writing is still standing and is currently owned by a glass company. During that years that Nile had this building, he did some remodeling. When narural gas came to Montpelier, he took out the old coal furnace and finished the basement to put in a casket display room. He also added an elevator at this time to move caskets between floors. He modernized the office and chapel and about the same time, he added air conditioning.
In 1956, Nile purchased the Whitman mortuary in Soda Springs and at the same time, purchased a home and remodeled it into a mortuary. This was a much needed improvement since the old mortuary was just in the old Odd Fellows' Lodge Hall on a rental agreement. Another improvement he made was to always keep up with modern motor equipment.
In 1968. Nile's oldest son, Leonard, having finshed mortuary schooling and apprenticeship, moved back to Montpelier to enter the business. Nile told his son that since he had come back, they would build a new mortuary. A few years earlier, Nile had purchased some land on Clay Street, so the new building was started in the fall of 1969 and opened the prior spring of 1970. The city of Montpelier gave Nile an award for the most significant improvement to the city.
Nile was very civic minded and served in many leadership capacities including president of the Rotary Club and Chamber of Commerce, Chairman of the Old Folks Committee for over 20 years, Chairman of the Freedom Drive and Chairman of the building to fund to build the new Bear Lake Memorial Hospital. In 1976, he developed health problems which steadily became worse over the next five years. On the evening of October 12, 1981, he died suddenly at his home while watching Monday Night Football and cheering for his favorite team.
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NILE MATTHEWS

Nile Matthews, age 75, passed away at his home in Montpelier, Monday evening Oct. 12, of a sudden heart attack.
The youngest of 12 children, he was born May 9, 1906, at Oakley, Idaho, to Harrison Reynolds and Sarah Ann Williams Matthews.
He spent his youth on their ranch putting up hay, herding cattle, milking cows, and tending sheep.
In high school, he served as Freshman class president and Senior class president.
After graduation, he was called, in June 1925, to serve a mission for the L. D. S. Church in the Eastern States Mission, where he spent the next two years.
On April 29, 1933 he married Dorothy Young Hardy at Murray, Utah. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on October 14, 1935.
He attended the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science and after graduation worked in various communities in the western states gaining experience.
He eventually was able to acquire his own Mortuary in Montpelier, and in 1946 moved there with his family.
After much time and effort, he became licensed in Utah and Wyoming besides Idaho.
He established a reputation for honesty, hard work and compassion for those in need, and was known by all as a dignified professional. He became a respected member of the community, an outstanding businessman and a great comfort to the bereaved in times of their greatest sorrow, many
times rendering financial assistance as well as council and guidance.
As a dedicated public servant, he served as President of the Rotary Club, a member of the school board, President of the Chamber of Commerce, and was chairman of the local Crusade for Freedom Foundation for four years.
He was also gifted with a pleasant baritone voice and was often invited to sing at family gatherings, socials and funerals.
He was a member of the L. D. S. Church and was a High Priest at the time of his death .
A Mortician of the highest calibur, he considered his profession to be an art and has been acclaimed for his skill and expertise in his field. In 1970, he had a new funeral home built according to his own design and specifications. It is an outstanding edifice in the community, and is a reminder of Nile's compassionate service and dedication to the people of the Bear Lake Area.
He is survived by his wife, of Montpelier, two sons, Leonard H. Matthews and John R. Matthews, both of Montpelier, two daughters, D'Anne Keyes and Mrs. Roger C. (Georgia) Mouritsen, both of Salt Lake City, twenty-one grandchildren, two sisters, Mrs. Dewey (Arta) Hale, Salt Lake City and Mrs. John (Eula) Clark, Oakley, Idaho, He was preceded in death by six brothers and three sisters.
Funeral services will be held Friday at 1:00 p.m. at the Montpelier 3rd and 5th Wards Chapel. Friends may call at Matthews Mortuary Thursday evening from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. and on Friday at the Mortuary from 11:00 a.m. till time of the service. The Internment will be in the Montpelier Cemetery.
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GRANDPA'S GONE TO HEAVEN

One quite day the angels came
And took grandpa far away
But in the stillness of the night
I could almost hear him say

"Dear Grandchild, I will miss you
You mean so much to me
But Jesus called me to His side
In Heaven I will be

A place of God's great beauty
No tears or earth cares
Only peace and joy forever
And love beyond compare

So remember all the good times
Don't think about the sad
Treasure the years we've always had

And if you trust in Jesus
I can promise this and more
You will get a hug from grandpa
Someday on Heaven's golden shore"
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GRANDPA
Goodbye my friend.
I shall see you again
In heaven where the stars stay.
I will be there one day.

The world isn't the same,
Since the day the angels came.
You maybe on a star,
But I love you wherever you are.

My stays with you are long past.
They're right. Fun never lasts.
We worked hard in the garden and workshop.
Side-by-side, we never stopped.

I never played with a girly toy.
I was with you, a tomboy.
You changed who I am today,
A debt I can ever repay.

Know that in my heart you're alive
Until the day, in heaven, I arrive.
You're in the hearts of all you touch.
We still love you very much.
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Family Links or other
Son In law:
Roger Caldwell Mouritsen
Daughter In law:
Margo Lynn Matthews
Grandsons:
Richadrd Wayne Keys
Edward Jens Matthews
Jonathan Lee Matthews
Great Grand Daughter:
Lillianna Livia Jo Matthews
Great Grandson:
Maxwell C. Matthews
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ALL VISITS ARE VERY APPRECIATED

A Big thank you to M. Richards for sponsoring my grandfathers memorial page.