Claude "Straw" Mathews, 77, Garden City, MO, died Friday, April 6, 2007 at his home. Funeral services were held Tuesday, April 10, 2007 at the Atkinson Chapel, Harrisonville. Military honors were under the auspices of the Harrisonville Honor Guard. Cremation. Contributions may be made to Hope Haven, Harrisonville.

He was born December 2, 1929 in St. Louis, MO, the son of Claude Lee and Mary (Andrews) Mathews. When Claude was 17, he joined the Air Force and served his country for 15 years with tours in the U. S., Iceland, Newfoundland and Greenland. While serving at Ernest Harmon Air Force Base in Newfoundland, Claude married Hope Hudson and they had three children, Cherese, Claude Lee "Skip" and Heather.

In September of 2006, Hope and Claude celebrated their 53rd wedding anniversary with their family. Claude underwent a heart bypass in 1978 and was retired from the Federal Aviation Agency in Kansas City, where he was employed for 18 years as a computer maintenance technician.

Claude was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers, Bud, Norman, John and LeRoy and two sisters, Vivian Hogan and Francis Crombie. Claude is survived by his wife, Hope, of the home; three children, Cherese Mathews, Ashford, CT, Claude Lee "Skip" Mathews, Lone Jack, MO and Heather Rozzo, Holden, MO; three sisters, Virginia Garner, CA, Mary Newman, Kirbyville, MO and Nita Ewing, Florissant, MO; one brother, Charles Mathews, Conyers, GA; seven grandchildren, Justin Polnack, VT, Jerimiah Rozzo, Kansas City, MO, Christa Polnack, Holden, MO, Brendon Mathews, Lee's Summit, MO, Erica Polnack, CT, Michael Mathews, Lone Jack, MO, Nicholas Rozzo, Holden, MO and one great-grandson, Dylan Polnack, VT.

(Arrangements under the direction of Atkinson Funeral Home, Harrisonville, MO).