Leonard C. Matson, 80

Leonard C. Matson passed away peacefully on June 6, 2018, after a long, hard-fought battle with Parkinson’s and malignant colorectal cancer.

Len was born on Sept. 1, 1937, to Leonard and Mae Matson in Irvine, California. Len graduated from Claremont Men’s College and then spent three years in the Army in Korea. He married prior to leaving for Korea and eventually had three children, Scott, Greg and Mary Kay, with his first wife.

In 1972, Len was hired by an overseas oil conglomerate in the Persian Gulf and worked on-shore and off-shore in the oilfield business, where he later met Ilona “Sam,” who was working for one of the oil companies. Sam and Len married in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, in 1976. They spent many years traveling the world in conjunction with his work in the oil patch. That marriage was witnessed by many lifelong friends.

In 1999, they moved to Lakeside to live out their retirement years.

Len is survived by his wife, Ilona; his three children, Scott Matson, Greg Matson and Mary Kay Malas; plus seven grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, and his close friends, the Stimpson family.

According to Len’s wishes, there will be no service. Len has been cremated and will remain with Sam until her time comes, after which they will be together forever at a favorite mountain lake, nearby.