- Date Of Death: January 7, 2014
- State: Indiana
Dale E. Mathews
May 7, 1976 – January 7, 2014
Tech Sergeant Dale E. Mathews died January 7, 2014 in a helicopter crash in England, after serving in the US Air Force for almost twenty years.
Dale was a 1994 graduate of New Prairie High School. On October 6, 2006, he married his soul mate and the love of his life, Kim. He never ceased to amaze her with his strength, compassion, or how he would come up with some of the craziest ideas (but she always laughed and said let’s go!). He was looking forward to retiring soon from the Air Force and moving back “home” around his friends and family to make many more memories and kite surf on Lake Michigan.
He was loved and cherished by so many. He brought the meaning to words such as patriotism, selflessness and LIFE. His friends and family could not be more proud of him. He was so full of life. Last February he proclaimed his new phrase “Pro-Live… Do something outrageous and LIVE a little.” If anyone taught us this, it was Dale. In his short 37 years, he has seen and done so many things, most of us could not even imagine half of them, let alone go do them. He LIVED each and every day as much as he could.
Dale is survived by his wife, Kimberly Mathews; son, Keelan; daughter, Meagan; stepson, Logan and stepdaughter, Michayla. He is also survived by his parents; mother, Joyce (Tim) Wheeler of Lafayette, IN; father, Ronald Mathews of Bessemer, AL; stepfather Larry (Tricia) Gussman of Rolling Prairie, IN; grandfather, Lee (Berdenia) Collins of Granger, IN; and grandparents, Hershel & Ruby Mathews of Bessemer, AL.
Dale was preceded in death by his grandmother, Jean Collins and grandparents, Lois and Robert Gussman.
During his tours of duty it was his crew’s job to fly into the middle of a hot zone to rescue a downed soldier and get him/her to the closest hospital. Dale’s job was to keep this crew as safe as he could. He not only fought for our freedoms, but he helped others learn to fight for their own freedom in their country. When an Iraqi brother fell, he wept for him just the same as he would for any fellow brother.
