Obituary of Eugene Harold Mathias

Eugene Harold Mathias, 88, went to be with the Lord on Monday, December 14, 2020. He is survived by his wife of sixty-three years, Jan Mathias; five children, Keith (Dana) Mathias of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Kirk (Colleen) Mathias of Fort Collins, Colorado, Kent (Debbie) Mathias of Texarkana, Arkansas, Kelly (Randy) Cady of Aurora, Colorado, and Kim Mathias of Colorado Springs, Colorado;� foster daughter, Debbie (Charles) Baker of Abilene, Texas; and brother, Willard Mathias of Dover, Ohio. Mr. Mathias also delighted in thirteen grandchildren and sixteen great-grandchildren. He is preceded in death by his parents, Herbert and Dolly Mathias; a brother, Ronald Mathias; and a sister, Ruth Tabernack.�Gene attended school in New Philadelphia, Ohio. He then joined the United States Air Force in 1951 and proudly served his country during the Korean conflict. After his service he moved to Denver, Colorado where he met and married his wife in 1957. He and Jan moved to Colorado Springs in 1958 where they raised their children. He spent thirty-six years working for the Air Force Academy.The Mathias family began attending Academy Baptist Church in 1973 and moved with the church when it became Chapel Hills Baptist Church. The Road then merged with Chapel Hills, and Gene and Jan are the only original members from "the early days". Gene has served as a deacon, has helped with maintenance, and has been an unofficial greeter to hundreds of members and visitors over the years. He had a way of getting the ladies to bake for him, and was always talking about the goodies from his "girlfriends".�Everyone who knew Gene knows he was an avid cap collector and he displayed his thirteen hundred hats in individual bags on his garage walls. He received hats from all over the world and some of his favorites were the military hats and caps with photos of his grandchildren.Gene loved watching old westerns and listening to Alan Jackson. He loved cheering on his home Ohio State team and his beloved Denver Broncos and rooting (often pointlessly) for the Air Force Falcons. He loved homemade peanut butter cookies,� rocky road ice cream, and milk poured over his cake and pie.His face always lit up when he was able to visit with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was delighted to hold those newborn babies. Just last week he was able to hold his newest six week old great-grandson, Tobias Eugene, who bears his name. The photos are priceless.�We will miss our husband, dad, and papa, but we rejoice that he has walked with the Lord for many years, and we know that someday our reunion will truly be sweet.�Memorial Service, 2:00PM, Thursday, December 17, 2020, The Road at Chapel Hills, 2025 Parliament Drive, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920.Graveside Service, 11:00AM, Wednesday, December 23, 2020, Pikes Peak National Cemetery, 10545 Drennan Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80925. Events Memorial Service Thursday, December 17, 2020 2:00PM The Road at Chapel Hills 2025 Parliament Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80920 Phone: (719) 602-0995 Graveside Wednesday, December 23, 2020 11:00AM Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road Colorado Springs, CO 80925 Phone: 202-632-8035 Final Resting Place Pikes Peak National Cemetery 10545 Drennan Road Colorado Springs, CO 80925