Charles Thomas Matney

Charles Thomas "Tom" Matney, 73, died January 23, 2015 at home following a short illness. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be from 5:00 - 7:00p.m. Tuesday, January 27, 2015 at the Mitchell Family Funeral Home. For condolences or questions please visit: www.mitchellfh.com. Mitchell Family Funeral Home is caring for Tom and his family. Phone 641-844-1234. Tom was born June 25, 1941 to Charles E. and Edith L. (Butler) Matney in Union Iowa. He graduated from Union-Witten High School in 1960. He had many special friendships with his classmates that lasted his whole life. Tom and Pam Lyons were married at the Little Brown Church in Nashua, Iowa and have been together for 36 years. He started working at Fisher Controls in Marshalltown on October 5, 1964. Tom was elected as Shop Committee Chairman of the UAW local 893 from 1976 to 1984, this was the largest union in central Iowa. Tom was a nuclear parts inspector. He was truly a life-long advocate for workers' rights. After he retired from Fisher Controls, he attended DMACC in Ankeny and became a semi-truck driver for 5 years. Tom also coached little league baseball for many years, and enjoyed playing fast pitch softball until age 40. Tom was preceded in death by both of his parents, and his dear friend Vernon Hathaway. Tom is survived by his wife Pam, three sons Stace (Vanessa), Chris (Katrina), Austin (Tiffany), and two daughters Shawn (Steve Meyer), and Teri (Dennis Plants); brother, Richard (Ruth) Matney, his in-laws Lawrence and Carol Lyons, and his constant companion, his cat Winston. Tom also had 21 grandchildren, many great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews who loved him very much.