John Hall Mathews Sr.

John Hall Mathews, Sr of Waldorf, MD passed away in the early minutes of Monday January 12, 2026 in Charles County Regional Hospital where he succumbed to the injuries of a fall that occurred January 7, 2026. John was born on December 20, 1927 near Vesuvius, VA to his parents Roy C. Mathews and Ercie B. Mathews (nee Fitzgerald). John was born in a 2 room log cabin and had a hard scrabble life on an acre of land in the Blue Ridge. He attended school in a one room school house that had one teacher for all five grades. This was during the depression and his dad lost his job at a dairy and then worked for both the WPA and CCC; he was often gone for months to the work camps. Later, once the economy started to improve slightly they moved to Washington, DC and lived three or four blocks from the Mall and John often frequented the museums and monuments. In 1942 John’s family bought a house with 5 acres near Accokeek, MD. John dropped out of high school after his sophomore year and went to work as a plumber’s assistant at the Naval Ordinance Plant in Indian Head, MD. When John turned 18, his draft notice arrived and he was inducted in the US Army. He trained as a Radio Operator for Combat Communications at Ft Knox, KY. He was shipped to Japan as port of the post war Japan reconstruction. John often told the story that their plumbing in Japan was terrible and his commander asked if anyone knew how to plumb; John raised his hand and spent the rest of his tour taking care of the plumbing. After his discharge John moved back to Southern Maryland and worked in various capacities. He was a contractor and brick mason and built several houses and he was proud to say he laid the brick for The Wigwam in Waldorf, MD. During this time John met the first love of his life, Joan Mae Hamilton. They were wed on April 23, 1949 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church on Piney Road, Waldorf, MD. John was also an electrician and worked as a lineman for Southern Maryland Electric Cooperative in Hughesville, MD. In 1961 he moved from the line department into the office to develop the automated billing system on the IBM computer. John’s experience with the IBM system led him to then work of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association in Reston, VA. From NRECA John went to work at Central Area Data Processing; first as a programmer, then as a field coordinator and eventually as General Manager from 1977 to 1980. John then decided to move back with his family to Southern Maryland and settled in Waldorf’s Charles County Gardens neighborhood. John went to work for the Charles County Courthouse running their data processing department. He finished his work career as the Computer Systems Manager for the Central office of the Charles County School District where from he retired in 1994. John is survived by his children: Susan (Tom), John (Barbara), and Patti (Neil); 11 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. John is also survived by his sweetheart, friend and companion Mary Ellen Cooper, and the whole Cooper clan. Throughout his life John loved to learn and he loved to live. He loved to camp and hunt, he loved golf he liked to try things. He got his pilot’s license and fulfilled a dream he had after having built model airplanes for 20 years. He learned to sail, he tried learning piano and did learn to play the guitar. A Memorial Service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on April 17, 2026 at St Paul’s Episcopal Church, 4535 Piney Church Road, Waldorf, MD 20602. In lieu of flowers, gifts in John’s name can be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake and St Paul’s Episcopal Church. Internment of remains will be at the church.

John Hall Mathews Sr.

December 20, 1927 - January 12, 2026