Richard S. Matson

Richard S. Matson, 93, of Sioux City passed away Monday, Jan. 15, 2007, at North Park Senior Living.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Saturday at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, with the Rev. Curt Moermond officiating. Burial will be in Logan Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 7 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 7 p.m., at Nelson-Berger Northside Chapel. Condolences may be sent online to www.meyerbroschapels.com.

Richard was born Sept. 10, 1913, in Sioux City, the son of Sam and Ella (Severson) Matson. He attended East High School, graduating in 1930. He attended Morningside College and earned a bachelor's degree in 1935 and his M.B.A. from Northwestern University in 1937.

He married Jana Longnecker on Nov. 18, 1943 in Sioux City. She preceded him in death in July 20, 1996.

He lived in Karachi (British India) from 1937 to 1946, in Calcutta from 1947 to 1951, Bombay from 1951 to 1958, Hong Kong from 1958 to 1959, New York from 1960 to 1965, New Delhi from 1966 to 1971 and retired to Sioux City in 1971. He wintered in Rancho Bernardo, Calif.. from 1972 to 1995.

He was an executive for American Oil Companies in Asia, principally in India. He began his career with Standard-Vacuum Oil in charge of marketing in the northwest frontier of British India and established the first petrol pump in Kabul, Afghanistan. He was the general manager of what would become ExxonMobil in Bombay, Hong Kong and then India.

He was a member of St. Thomas' Episcopal Church and the Sioux City Lions Club. He was a successful debater in high school and college and partnered with Lowell Kindig and Parnell Mahoney, among others. He won the 1935 statewide Iowa college debate tournament. While attending Morningside College, he covered sports for the Sioux City Journal.

Survivors include a daughter, Jana Everett of Denver, Colo.; two sons and their wives, Rick and Karen Matson of Cary, N.C., and Jim and Joan Ericson Matson of Colorado Springs, Colo.; and six grandchildren, Carson Everett of Winston-Salem, N.C., Kristen Matson of Ashville, N.C., Kelsey Matson of Raleigh, N.C., Kimberly Matson of Cary, N.C., Yumi Matson of Colorado Springs, Colo., and Kaya Matson of Colorado Springs.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, Jana (Longnecker) Matson.

Pallbearers will be his children and grandchildren.

Memorials may be made in his name to Episcopal Relief and Development Foundation, http://www.er-d.org.