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Obituary for Francis W Matthews

Francis  W  Matthews
Francis W. Matthews Jr, age 89, of Sayreville, passed away on Tuesday, March 16, 2021 at the Sunrise of East Brunswick. Born in Linden, he moved to Sayreville in 1958. Francis was a proud U.S. Air Force Veteran serving his country during the Korean War. While serving in the Air Force, Francis was stationed in England where he met Carol - the love of his life and soon to be bride. After the war, Francis was discharged back to the US and Carol followed. Shortly after, they married and settled into a home in Linden and started their family. After a few years, the family moved to Sayreville where he lived in the same home for over 60 years. Francis was the kind of guy who could fix anything and having learned airplane engine mechanics in the Air Force, he began working at a garage in Rahway. Later, he worked as a mechanic for National Can in Piscataway, until he retired.

Francis was well known in the Linden area and to many he was only known as Dugan. His friends and family always called him Dugan, named after a comic called “Skinny Dugan”. In fact, there are many people who do not really know his name is Francis. They only know him has Dugan, the Captain of Dugan’s All Star Squad (Dugan’s ASS), a well-known local softball team whose prime was in the mid 1970s.

He is predeceased by his beloved wife Carol Matthews and his siblings Dorothy Jacobi, Margaret Matthews and John Matthews. He is survived by his children and their spouses Gary and Mary Matthews, Jackie and Tim Morris and Ron and Kim Matthews, his grandchildren Tim, Patrick, Andrew, Kelly, Christopher, Peter, Delaney, Cailyn, his nine great-grandchildren Maddy, Jay, Lucas, Colin, Liam, Violet, Connor, Callie and Olivia, all of whom affectionately called him Pop Pop, as well as many loving cousins, nieces, nephews and friends. He had a particularly close relationship with his nieces and nephews – the Jacobi’s and the Joneses – who all lived close by, and sometimes under the same roof, and at one time or another all needed their cars fixed! He was always there to help.

Calling hours at the Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home, 15 Cherry Lane, Parlin will take place Friday from 9am to 10:30am followed by an 11am Funeral Mass at St. Bernadette Church, Parlin. Burial at Holy Cross Burial Park, East Brunswick. Due to COVID-19 regulations, 100 guests can be accommodated in the building at once. Masks must be worn at all times.

Letters of condolence to the family, completed arrangements, and directions may be found by visiting www.spezzifuneralhome.com.

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