Everett Ellis Matheny
May 13, 1923 - August 10, 2021
Everett Ellis Matheny, 98, passed away from this life August 10, 2021. He was born May 13, 1923 to James Henry and Alice Abigail DeField Matheny in Snyder, Colorado. Since a young child he was on horses and worked hard at the work of his father digging grounds and basements, training and riding/ herding mules and assisting in the prewar community ef for ts of the men and women in the area.
Everett attended schools in the area, even instructing in shop and woodworking classes while a student but was never given the final credit needed to graduate high school. He was a master with horses and enjoyed riding them long before entering WW II in the army as a Tech
Sergeant with the 91st Ordinance in charge of a motor pool. After spending time in Africa and Italy through the war, including viewing the sadness of Mussolini and his girlfriend hanging in the city square, he returned to the states and Fort Morgan, Colorado and married Lora Lee ( Jackie) Lambertson.
He worked in the Ford garage as a mechanic and other areas while raising his daughter, Faye Marie, and getting the entire family involved in riding and training horses, volunteering to assist young folks in their equine endeavors and community involvement wherever they lived such as Weldona and other county locations. Everett was a good mentor, had fun roping cattle in his younger days, competing at timed events with friends, and judging horse shows and winning many awards and trophies in performance horse classes. His pride and joy were caring for and grooming his performance horses. As one friend said, Trail classes were his favorite past times.
He built and repaired trailers for horses and hauling, worked at home as a mechanic, worked for 24 years as rider for the Morgan Ditch while Faye grew up, then took over the Upper Platte and Beaver Ditch position from his father Jim, doing this for 42 years, retiring from the company in February of 2020. During this time Everett continued to cut metal, weld, train horses for himself and others, make needed repairs and improvements to his company holdings and property as well as his friend's. He became a private pilot and ground instructor. In 1983, Everett married Yvonne Ann Purling after divorcing his first wife, helping her get her aviation licenses while seeing her through her many phases of healthcare education, and continued to excel at horsemanship and classes. He often flew the family airplanes to locations to judge younger people in their horse competitions, and regularly checked the ditch from the air.
Both Yvonne and Everett enjoyed the air space, but he really liked riding motorcycles and working on his when he had the time.
He was president of the Northeastern Quarter Horse Association, a member of the Paint Horse Association, member of the Standard Horse Association, AQHA, enjoying many meetings and banquets around the state and awards presentations. He was member of AOPA, NRA, Ercoupe group, and got involved with all thing horses and later motorcycle riding. while keeping touch with aviation friends.
He bounced back after trauma and accidents until he could no longer do so. Retiring as he had, he continued to maintain the life he had by making his monthly haircut visits to old friend Bennie Gertge in Brush, making it out to Murdoch's to buy shir ts and jeans, and Edwards Market where he was known for years. To the very last he also engaged in purchasing a newer pickup to "last me to the end of my life" which it did. He leaves a big hole in the hearts of Yvonne ( Von), his two doggie pals, Ty and Jimmy, and many friends in business, aviation, and agriculture.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Faye Marie, his first wife, Jackie, his parents, J. H. and Alice Matheny, his former mother and father in law, Shorty and Violet Lambertsons, brother and sister- in- law, Norm and Nadine Chilcote ( Jackie's sister), many friends, and leaves behind Yvonne, mother- in- law, Mina Purling Burkett ( Kansas), brother- in- law, David and Sonya Purling ( Kansas), Don Purling and Rob Rowell ( Louisiana), good friends, Dudley and Sandy Smith ( Texas), Timmie and Breck Cunningham
( Colorado), Rex and Sharon Eaves, their daughters, Jennifer and Megan Lizargga ( Colorado), Tracy Cross and family ( Tennessee), the gang at Central auto, MaryAnne Roth, George Staf ford, the D& L boys, Bubs Eskew ( Colorado), and Ken and Glenda Amen ( Colorado). Included are cousins, Guyla and Mike Parisi
( California), Patty and Larry Grant
( California), Cathey Dixon ( Arkansas), and Dorothy Arata, Chuck, and Linda, and the Widners ( Oregon).
His achievements were made out of ef for ts at mentoring and teaching others, being helpful, repairing, renewing, staying in touch, creating and designing then acting on it, and being a good and dutiful son to his parents and helpmate to Yvonne who was blessed to be his guardian angel. He never understood why God caused all of his physical damage and pain but as Yvonne told him" God did not do this, he doesn't do those things; other people did this to you and I am here to the end". He wants to be remembered as he was before the end came near.
A celebration of Everett's life will be held at the Berean Bible Church, 211 West
Beaver Avenue, Fort Morgan on November 4th at 10 AM.