Edmund "Ed" Joseph Mathews

Edmund “Ed” J. Mathews of Norton passed away on August 12, 2022.  Born in Brockton to the late Edmund and Mary Mathews, he attended Brockton High School and later earned his degree in Accounting from Bentley University. He was employed by the New England Baptist hospital for 30 years and later worked at Central Motor Sales in Wrentham.

Ed had a passion for classic cars, and could name the make and model of any car pointed out during a drive. He loved suspense novels and police procedurals, and was an avid fan of NCIS and all of its many spinoffs. He loved football and baseball, and was a lifelong fan of the Red Sox and Patriots, throughout their good seasons and bad ones.

He was empathetic and personable, and could strike up an amiable conversation with anyone. A favorite story of his family to tell is of a four-hour plane flight that ended with the stranger next to Ed showing him pictures of his family on his laptop. He loved meeting new people, hearing their stories, and making friends.

He had a wonderful sense of humor, and enjoyed trading puns and bad jokes with his youngest child, much to the exasperation of those around them. One of his jokes was so bad, his wife purposely forgot it to prevent it from being passed on, and when asked about it, he chuckled and said, “Ah, one of my lesser gems.”

Though a child of the silent generation, Ed was open-minded and progressive, and always curious about the world. He voraciously read the news, and every morning could be found at the kitchen table with the newspaper spread in front; his breakfast to the side. He was always eager to hear about the latest developments in technology and medicine, and was constantly in awe of the modern world.

He and his wife enjoyed traveling, and traveled to a dozen countries and half the United States. When the kids arrived, they joined too, and many wonderful vacations were taken together. Ed loved trying the local cuisines and sightseeing, and one story his wife never let him live down is when he tried “the local delicacy” in Australia, a witchetty grub…not once, but twice!

He loved his two dogs, Kita and Tasha, and took them on walks throughout the neighborhood every day. He would return with stories of the people he met and the friends he made, sometimes naming people three streets down. At night, Ed could always be found in his easy chair with the dogs at his feet, watching the latest NCIS or reading a novel. Kita passed earlier in the week before him, and now they walk Heaven together.

Above all else, Ed loved his family. To him, his family was his greatest treasure on Earth, and his greatest achievement. Even to family spread far and wide, he tried his best to stay close, and always sent out a legion of gifts every Christmas to his many great-grandchildren and great-nieces and -nephews.

Ed is survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Ellen Mathews, his daughters Anne Arthur and husband Martin Arthur, Maureen Mathews and husband Robert Belknap, Michelle Larter and husband Douglas Larter, his son Sean Mathews and youngest child Albina Mathews, grandsons George and Timothy Arthur, Matthew and Michael Bouffard, and Chad and Kyle Larter, his loving sister-in-law Kathleen Mathews, 11 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Ed was predeceased by his beloved brother, Richard. Ed also leaves behind his dear friends and extended family: Meg and Frank Corliss, Jennifer and Dave Kruse, Anne Schleicher, the Farrell family, the Olbert family, John and Patricia Leonard Toomey, Paul and Candace Toomey, Rick and Deb Toomey, and his “second son”, Mark David Cristobal.

Ed was especially blessed to spend 30 years on Furnace Pond Way. He could not have asked for a more wonderful place to live and raise his family. He loved each and every family, and he gave thanks for all their love, kindness and friendship throughout the years.

The Mathews Family would like to thank those who helped us along the way—Dr. Bradley McGregor, Marla Kumor, and most especially Ilene Galinsky who stood beside all of us through good times and bad. We would also like to thank our Furnace Pond Way neighbors, who mowed our grass, cleared our driveway of snow, and brought over food after he fell ill.

Visitation will be held at the Southeast Funeral Home, 93 Center St., N. Easton, MA on Thursday, August 18th from 4:00-7:00PM.  A funeral service will follow on Friday, August 19th at 10:00AM in the funeral home. Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend.

In lieu of flowers please send donations in Ed’s honor to Dr. Bradley McGregor’s Giving Page. Your gift will directly support Dr. McGregor’s research at Dana-Farber Cancer institute, and provide an invaluable resource to the fight against cancer.

To contribute by check, please write “Dr. McGregor’s Giving Page” in the memo line, and send to:

Giving Pages

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute

Division of Development & The Jimmy Fund

10 Brookline Place West, 6th Fl

Brookline, MA 02445

Or, you can donate to the Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange, which supports Massachusetts-based adoptions and provides resources to adoptive families, much like his. Please send checks to:

Massachusetts Adoption Resource Exchange

19 Needham Street, Suite 206

Newton, MA 02461

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