Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-10-19
Francis P. Matthews
Dies on Omaha Visit;
10 ireland
BY the Associated Press

OMAHA, Oct. Is. - Francis p.
Matthews, United States ambassa-
dor to Ireland and former Sec
rotary of the Navy. died unex-
pectedly during a visit here today.
The 65-year-old envoy, attor-
ney and prominent Catholic lay
man, was stricken with a heart
attack at 1915 am. (EST) at his
Omaha home. He died a half
hour later.
Mr.. Matthews had been back
in the United States since Sep
TENDER 16 but intended to return
to Ireland next week. He dis
closed only yesterday, however,
that he would quit the post at
the end of this year and return
to Omaha. "the only place on this
earth that I want to live"
A long time friend of Ireland S
canon De Valera, Mr.. Matthews
became ambassador at Dublin In
July Of last year after two years
as navy secretary.
Spurred Unificati0n.
The appointment May Is, 1949,
to succeed Navy Secretary John
L. Sullivan came at a time when
many navy men were fearing the
service would suffer under the
program of unifying the armed
services, then in progress.
Mr.. Matthews admitted his only
nautical experience had been to
man "a rowboat at my summer
home" But he promised to pur-
sue the unif1cation program while
maintaining what he termed 1.-THE
sublime traditions of the Navy
When he left the post two years
later, he was able to say that
most of the problems he found
at the outset had been SOLVED"
Born at Albion. Nebr.. son of
q harness maker, Mr.. Matthews
grew up on a farm near Spauld-
ing, Nebr.. and helped put him
self through the Creighton Uni
versity Law School in Omaha by
scrubbing floors. waiting on tables,
selling mems furnishings and tu-
toring in Latin and Greek.
Known as Shrewd Investor.
Admitted to the bar in 1913
he established what became a
successful law practice in Omaha
Shrewd business investments
brought him a reputation as one
of the wealthier persons in Ne
braSka.
In 1888. Mr.. Matthews became
counsel for the Reconstruction FL
nance Corporation in Nebraska
and Wyoming. In 1916 he was
named a member of President
Humans Committee on Civil
Rights.
He once headed the knights
Of Columbus. In 1945 he was
made a papal chamberlain.
Mrs. Matthews and a daughter
Marguerite were in Ireland when
death came, but four of his SIX
children were at his bedside.
The surviving children are Mar
guerite; Mrs. John E. Dwyer, Erie
Pa; Mrs. J. Robert O'Connell
Francis p. jr.; Mrs. William E
Rosser and Mrs. David G. How
ard, all Of Omaha.
Officials Voice Regrets.
In Washington, Army Secretary
Pace said that Mr.. Matthews
"two years service to his country
as civilian head of the Navy were
a great contribution to nationa
defense and he will be long re.
membered as a fine patriot anc
an outstanding leader of men,"
Francis P. Whitehair, Under.
secretary Of the Navy, said thai
I"I know the entire naval estab.
Ilishment joins me in expressing
to his widow and loved ones tn,
deepest sympathy"
Undersecretary OF State Davic
Bruce, State Department acting
chief while Secretary Acheson il
in New York, praised Mr.. Mat
thews as an ambassador who
"ably succeeded in maintaining
and furthering our close relation.
with Ireland"
Throughout his long and dis.
tinguished career he was re.
spected and admired" the state
ment said. "His colleagues in tn,
Department Of State join with MI
in extending deepest sympathy Il
Mrs. Matthews and her family"