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<em>John Roy Douglas Matheson</em>, better known to his host of friends as ‘‘Roy’’ or “Mat”, was born in Billings, Montana, on January 3, 1887. He attended the University of Iowa one year, 1904-1905, before entering the United States Military Academy in 1905. Scholastic duties at West Point proved not too difficult, as he graduated No. 5 in the 1909 class of 103.</p>
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Roy spent his first year after graduation with the other 1909 Engineers, studying the current work of the Corps of Engineers on the Great Lakes Survey, navigational improvements on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, and the construction of the Panama Canal.</p>
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During his tour of duty on the Panama Canal he met and married Ethel Quinton Mason, daughter of Colonel Charles Field Mason, Medical Corps, and Mrs. Quinton Mason, later Mrs. Edward F. Murphy.</p>
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Roy spent the next year at the U.S. Engineer School at Washington Barracks, D.C., graduating in 1911. A short tour at Fort Leavenworth was followed by a three year tour of duty in Hawaii mapping and survey work with Co. I, 3d Battalion of Engineers.</p>
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Returning from Hawaii in 1915, Roy was next assigned as Assistant District Engineer at Wilmington, N. C., where he spent two years on lock and dam construction on the Cape Fear River.</p>
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His tour at West Point as Assistant Professor of Mathematics, 1917-1918 was cut short by assignment to troops during World War I. He commanded the 217th Engineers at Camp Beauregarde, La., until the end of the war.</p>
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Roy’s service after World War I covered many duties and stations, briefly stated below:</p>
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District Engineer at Wilmington, N. C., 1919-1921.<br />
Honor Graduate, School of the Line, 1922.<br />
Graduate, General Staff School, 1923. Graduate of the Army War College, 1924.<br />
Duty in the office of the Chief of Engineers, 1924-1925.<br />
Assistant Professor of Engineering at West Point, 1925-1929.<br />
District Engineer, Sacramento, California, 1929-1931.<br />
Command of the 13th Engineers and Executive Officer at Fort Humphreys (Belvoir), Va„ 1932-1936. Duty with the War Department General Staff at Washington, D. C., 1936-1940. Part of this service was as Deputy G-4 in connection with C.C.C. affairs.</p>
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During these latter years Roy suffered from chronic duodenal ulcers and he applied for retirement in 1940, hoping to rest, write, and regain his health; but the outbreak of the second World War brought him back to duty in the Division Engineer Office in San Francisco. On this job Roy commuted every day from Burlingame, California, until 1943 when he was again retired for physical disability with heart and health Impaired.</p>
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The Matheson family then moved to Altadena, California where, in December, 1945, Roy suffered a stroke of paralysis. This was followed by lighter strokes until the fatal attack in McCornack General Hospital in Pasadena on April 10, 1947.</p>
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Though greatly handicapped, Roy kept on his feet to the end.</p>
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Matheson’s desire to write found expression in his book, “<em>A Needle in the Haystack</em>”, the Junior Literary Guild selection in 1930, and verses published in “<em>St. Nicholas</em>” and “<em>John Martin’s Book</em>” He also wrote a play, “<em>Back from Troy</em>”, which was put on by the Essayons Dramatic Club at Fort Belvoir, Va.</p>
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Colonel Matheson is survived by his wife, Ethel in, Altadena, California; by his sons, Col. John D. Matheson, Col. Donald R. Matheson, Retired, Major David M. Matheson and Mr. William Q. Matheson; and by his daughters Page M. Niles, wife of Lieut. Col. Ellery W. Niles, and Miss Jean E. Matheson.</p>
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Roy’s greatest regret was that he had never served on a battlefield nor had ever been under fire, but we who knew him intimately realize that he gave his strength and, eventually, his life in the service of his country, always striving to realize the ideals of Duty, Honor, Country. He now rests in the cemetery at West Point. </p>
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Broadcast upon our history’s ample page<br />
The records of their valiant deeds are strown.<br />
Proudly their alma mater claims her own.<br />
May she have sons like these from age to age!”<br />
(“The United States Military Academy, West Point”— Holden)</p>
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<em>—C. C. O.—1909</em></p>
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