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Wednesday, February 26, 2025

DL Capt. Kenneth “Kenny” Richard Matthews

 

~ IN MEMORY ~

USAF veteran, DL Capt. Kenneth “Kenny” Richard Matthews

May 23, 1945 ~ January 28, 2025

 

From friends and colleagues, we have learned of the passing of retired Delta Air Lines pilot Captain Kenneth Richard Matthews, age 79.  Kenny joined Delta Air Lines 03-19-1973 and was based DFW, then JFK/031 in the years prior to retiring.  To date I’ve not been able to locate an online obituary, but did find his bio online ….please see below.

Ken is survived by his wife Bridget O'Reilley-Matthews, and by his children and their families.  Bridget has a facebook page if you wish to try messaging the family.  https://www.facebook.com/bridget.matthews.3956 

For those who wish to send condolences, I see the family’s address listed in whitepages as

 5096 N FM 129, Santo, TX 76472

 

If anyone has more information to share, please do let us know.

Thank you,

~ Carol for the PCN

PCN memorial site :

 

Bio taken from Webb AFB newsletter dated 2009

(   https://webb6905.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/PILOT-TRAINING-CLASS-69-E-Master-Edited-10-26-2023-ORIGINAL.pdf  )

CLASS 69-E WEBB AFB PILOT TRAINING FORTY YEARS LATER

Kenny Matthews Life After Webb

I went to Vietnam in Oct1969 and returned Nov1970. I was flying forward air control w/20th TASS in OV10s. Initially in Chu Lai, then Danang and finally in Pleiku. Moved around a lot and had 4 different call signs ( you'll remember how hard I was to get along with). Came back as T38 IP @ Webb AFB until DOS of 15Jan73. Hired by Delta Air Lines 15Mar73 and retired 31 yrs later in Jun2004 (one year early). My oldest son, Marshall was born during pilot training in Dec. 1968. He lives an hour away in Ft Worth. He has a daughter, Brittanny 19 and two young sons, Marshall Dylan (funny?) who is 8 and Seth who is 5. My second son, Casey, was born at Webb after I returned from SEA in the NEW hospital ( 20DEC72). Casey and his crew live in Ft Worth as well. Wife Monica, sons Mason 9 and Reese 7 and the princess(of course) Adriana, 5.

My first wife Mary Margaret and I divorced in1974. She remarried in1975 and she, her current husband and I have become good friends and converse on a regular basis. I remained single for 26 yrs. Couldn't find anyone who deserved me (I guess this could be taken one of two ways !) I remarried in1997 at age 52 (thought I was surely old enough by then) to my "Trophy Wife" who is 13 yrs my junior. Actually, we had dated 20+ yrs earlier. She is a 3rd gen horse trainer, way type A and a constant handful. Life is not boring. We have a little ranch here in Palo Pinto County an hour W of Ft Worth ( the world's largest small town ) We have black Brangus cattle, too many horses, 6 Border Collies, four barn cats, the fattest raccoon in captivity, one ball python and one Western Diamond-back/ Mojave rattlesnake cross.

 I have had Cessna 180s and 185s for 25+ yrs and with friends with similar interests, have flown them all over from Canada on floats to Baja, California to Conn. Mostly W Texas and mountains in Idaho. With Delta I flew Boeing 727,737,757,767,767/400,767ER and 777. Also, Douglas DC9, DC8 and MD11. Also the Lockheed L1011 and L15. I loved them all. I was fortunate to be able to fly International Capt for the last 12 yrs. Probably the best time ever on the airline was during the CRAF (civil reserve air fleet) moving troops into and eventually out of Kuwait City. We staged in Rome and Bridget and I virtually lived at the Savoy Hotel for two months...paid vacation! Rules were very different, everyone one board had an automatic weapon! Awesome! Great experience for us and the troops were more than you could hope for. You, too, would have been very proud of them. Also, and surprising I'm sure, I'm now a rotor-head as well. While helping a friend work cows on their 88,000 acre ranch, I spent some time riding with him in his Bell 47 ( think...MASH) helicopter. I started really enjoying it and ended up buying one and learning to fly it. It may be the most fun flying I've done.

My health has been very good. One knee surgery, one back surgery and one appendectomy is about it. I have tri-focals that I only wear when I want to see and I have my father's haircut. I take Lipitor daily for high cholesterol and one 87 mg aspirin for good luck.

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