James David Mathews, our beloved Papa, Father, and Friend, passed away peacefully on May 7, 2024, at the age of 89. He was born October 31, 1934 to James Willard Mathews and Ethel Roper Mathews in Delta, Utah. In his childhood years he lived in Caliente, and Panaca, Nevada, Los Angeles, California, Oak City, Utah and Nephi, Utah where he attended Juab High School. He loved the sport of basketball, playing four years on the varsity team.

As a young man he was called to serve a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints to the Southwest Indian Mission. He served among the Navajo people, whom he would respect and love throughout his life. He was always grateful to be an American and served for five years in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. He later met a young woman, Lynne Adele Latimer from Pocatello, Idaho. She was the love of his life, and they were married December 20, 1957, in the Manti Temple. They became the parents of seven children. These children were paramount to their happy lives. Lynne passed away in 1980 at the age of 42 of melanoma cancer.

He would later marry Diane Malmgren from Gunnison, Utah in the Salt Lake Temple. They had one sweet son, Shaun, who passed away in 1998 at the age of 16.

Jim received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Brigham Young University. He had a passion for teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. He taught for 38 years in the Church Education System. He assisted in the development of the Indian Seminary Program at Sherman Institute (an off reservation boarding school for Indian students) in Riverside, California, Intermountain Indian School in Brigham City, Utah, and became the Division Coordinator for the North Central States, living in Rapid City, South Dakota. During that time, he also served as Bishop of the Rapid City 2nd Ward.

Upon their return to Utah, Jim and Lynne made their home in Bountiful. He taught at Utah Technical College that later became Salt Lake Community College, LDS Business College and Salt Lake Community College, South City Campus, where he retired. He also taught for many years for BYU Continuing Education. He became a tour director for BYU Travel Study and later LDS Travel Study. He made 26 trips to Israel, and ventured into Jordan, Egypt, Italy, Greece, the Greek Islands, and Turkey. He also enjoyed his tours to Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. He loved to learn of other cultures, ancient history, and languages, and studied Hebrew for many years.

He loved journal writing and authored 17 volumes of personal journals, and other family histories. He served faithfully as an ordinance worker for many years in the Bountiful Temple and cherished his time while serving. He also loved his experience as a tour host on Temple Square for five years.

He and his wife, Diane, served four missions for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, the Family History and Church History Mission in Salt Lake, and the Utah Salt Lake Mission assigned to the Bountiful Central Stake.

Jim took great pride in keeping a beautiful yard and garden. He spent many hours peacefully sitting in his garden and enjoying the beauty of all of God’s creations. He loved to hunt and keep bees and was often found in the backyard in his bee suit.

He had a great love for all people and cherished his relationships, but the most important thing to him was his family. He adored his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. He loved to make memories with them, laugh with them and each family member knew of his individual love and concern for them. He always gave the best hugs and said, “I love you.” His greatest joy was teaching his family the gospel and often gathered them all together for large Family Home Evening discussions. His “clan” was his everything!

He is survived by his wife, Diane Mathews, Layton, Utah, and children, Susan (David) Hunter, Peoria, Arizona, Shellie (David) LeFevre, Bountiful, Utah, Sauni (Cary) Henrie, Bountiful, Utah, Steven (Natalie) Mathews, Kaysville, Utah, Shannon (Tim) Curd, Layton, Utah, Scot (Nicole) Mathews, North Salt Lake, Utah, Sally Jensen, Farmington, Utah, siblings, Donna (Dick) Woods, Russell (Donna) Mathews, Lola (Mark) Koppe, 31 grandchildren and 24 great-grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Lynne Mathews, son, Shaun Mathews, grandson, Jason Hunter, granddaughter, Sarah LeFevre, and sister Jeanette Francom.

Please join us Friday, May 17, 2024, at the Lindquist Mortuary, 1867 N Fairfield Rd, Layton, Utah.

There will be a viewing from 9:00-10:30 am, followed by a service to honor his life at 11 am. Interment will follow at the Nephi City Cemetery, 400 East 400 North, Nephi, Utah.

His family wishes to extend a special thanks to the dedicated and loving staff at Fairfield Village Memory Care and Inspiration Hospice.