HARRIS WINNFREY “MAT” MATLOCK OF VULCAN PASSED AWAY MARCH 15, 2002 AT THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT THE AGE OF 82 YEARS.
HARRIS WAS BORN FEBRUARY 20, 1920 AT THE ROBERT E. MATLOCK FARM EAST OF CHAMPION TO CECIL AND EMMA MATLOCK. HE RECEIVED HIS SCHOOLING AT ENSIGN AND VULCAN HIGH SCHOOL. IN 1939, DUE TO HIS FATHER’S AILING HEALTH HE TOOK OVER THE FARMING OPERATION, UNTIL 1941WHEN HE JOINED THE ROYAL CANADIAN ARMED FORCES AND WAS EMPLOYED AS AN AERO MECHANIC. IN OCTOBER OF THAT SAME YEAR HE MARRIED HANNAH CLARKSON IN VULCAN, HARRIS FINISHED HIS TRAINING IN CALGARY AT THE INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND THEN MOVED TO EDMONTON, TO THE MANNING DEPOT AND THEN TRANSFERRED TO ST. THOMAS, ONTARIO. HIS FIRST POSTING WAS IN LETHBRIDGE IN MAY 1942, THEN TO VULCAN NO. 3 F.I.S. IN MAY OF 1943 AND THEN TO CALGARY NO. 3 S.F.T.S. IN MAY OF 1945. ON OCTOBER 11, 1945 HE RECEIVED HIS DISCHARGE FROM THE AIR FORCE AND TOGETHER WITH HIS WIFE MOVED TO HIS PARENTS FARM AT ENSIGN.
IN DECEMBER OF 1945 HIS SISTER-IN-LAW MARIE FISHER PASSED AWAY AND IN 1946 HER HUSBAND FORD FISHER BROUGHT THEIR DAUGHTER JEAN ANN TO RESIDE WITH HARRIS AND HANNAH AND IN 1949 THEY ADOPTED HER. ALSO IN THE SPRING OF 1946 HE PURCHASED LAND THIRTEEN MILES NORTHEAST OF VULCAN, EAST OF THE RED CROSS SCHOOL, THROUGH THE VETERAN’S LAND ACT. FOR TWO YEARS DURING SPRING AND HARVEST OPERATIONS HE LIVED IN A TENT, AND IN THE FALL OF THAT YEAR, HE PURCHASED A HOME IN VULCAN. HARRIS TOOK ON ADDITIONAL JOBS OF SUMMER FALLOWING AND SWATHING IN ORDER TO PAY FOR THEIR HOME.
THAT WINTER, HE WORKED FOR MORRISON AND OLSON AND IN THE SPRING, RETURNING TO WORK BOTH FARMS. IN 1964 HE PURCHASED THE WEST FARM AND IN NOVEMBER THE SAME YEAR HARRIS AND HIS SON-IN-LAW TED PURCHASED A LOT IN THE SANDERSON SUBDIVISION AT LITTLE BOW AND BUILT A COTTAGE. THE WEST FARM SOLD IN 1973 AND HARRIS AND HANNAH MOVED INTO AN OLDER HOME IN VULCAN. IN 1977 THEY PURCHASED A MOBILE HOME IN PALM SPRINGS AND SPENT THREE MONTHS A YEAR THERE ENJOYING THE WINTER SUNSHINE, SWIMMING, GOLFING AND THEIR RETIREMENT. HANNAH PASSED AWAY IN DECEMBER OF 2000 AND HARRIS HAS CONTINUE TO RESIDE IN HIS HOUSE IN VULCAN SINCE.
HARRIS LOVED SPENDING TIME WITH THE GRANDCHILDREN, HE WAS VERY INVOLVED WITH THERE MANY INTERESTS INCLUDING HORSE SHOWS, MANY WHICH HE ANNOUNCED HIS MOST RECENT THE “GOLDEN AGE HORSE SHOW” THIS PAST FALL, AS WELL AS HELPING JESS WITH HIS HORSE BUSINESS. HE HAD A WIDE VARIETY OF INTERESTS, HE PARTICIPATED IN MANY SPORTS INCLUDING, TENNIS, BASEBALL, GOLF, FOOTBALL, HOCKEY AND CURLING. IN 1934 AND 1935 HE ENLISTED IN THE FIFTEENTH ALBERTA LIGHT HORSE REGIMENT TRAINING AT SARCEE CAMP AND HE WON THE TWO MILE ROAD RACE IN 1934, 1935 AND 1936 WHICH ENABLED HIM TO KEEP THE TROPHY.
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HE WAS EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN CURLING AND WAS THE SPORTS OFFICER AND ORIGINAL ORGANIZER FOR THE PROVINCIAL AND DOMINION PLAY DOWNS.
HARRIS BECAME CONVENOR OF THE ROYAL CALEDONIAN CURLING CLUB OF SCOTLAND IN 1949, RECEIVING HIS LIFE MEMBERSHIP IN 1970. IN 1960 HE SKIPPED HIS RINK TO THE ALBERTA PROVINCIAL CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CAMROSE AND THEN TO THE DOMINION PLAY DOWNS AT SUMMERSIDE P.E.I. WHERE THEY PLACED SECOND. HARRIS WAS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE VULCAN CURLING CLUB, BUT HIS CURLING CAREER ENDED TOO SOON WHEN HE WAS INJURED NOVEMBER 7, 1968 IN A CAR – FREIGHT TRAIN ACCIDENT. HIS RECOVERY KEPT HIM HOSPITALIZED FOR SIX MONTHS.
HARRIS WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH #21, VULCAN, JOINING IN 1942, AND SERVED SIX SUBSEQUENT YEARS AS PRESIDENT. IN 1947 HE JOINED THE B.P.O. ELKS AND RECEIVED HIS LIFE MEMBERSHIP, AND ALSO A MEMBER OF THE VULCAN LION’S CLUB RECEIVING HIS THIRTY-FIVE YEAR PIN IN 1986.
HARRIS IS SURVIVED BY HIS FIANCÉ ANNETTA SCHUMACHER, HIS LOVING DAUGHTER JEAN ANN (TED) HARTUNG OF VULCAN, A GRANDDAUGHTER AMY HARTUNG OF OROVILLE, CALIFORNIA, A GRANDSON JESS (DEANNA) HARTUNG AND THEIR TWO CHILDREN GREGORY AND MIRANDA ALL OF VULCAN, TWO BROTHERS-IN-LAW FORD (ELMA) FISHER OF CRANBROOK AND CHARLES MILLS OF BROADVIEW, SASK., A SISTER-IN-LAW LILA (FRED) STEPHENS OF TORONTO, TWO NIECES AND FOUR NEPHEWS.
HARRIS WAS PREDECEASED BY HIS WIFE HANNAH, A SISTER LUCILLE (DONALD) STUART, TWO BROTHERS HOWARD, ELMER, TWO SISTERS-IN-LAW LILLIAN MILLS AND MARIE FISHER AND HIS PARENTS.
A CELEBRATION OF LIFE SERVICE WILL BE HELD WEDNESDAY MARCH 20, 2002 AT 1 P.M. AT THE CULTURAL RECREATIONAL CENTRE WITH PASTOR ALBERT LUESINK OFFICIATING.
INURNMENT TO FOLLOW AT VULCAN CEMETERY.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE TRIBUTES IN HARRIS’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION BRANCH #21 BOX 175 VULCAN,
TOL 2BO, PALLIATIVE CARE UNIT OF VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE BOX 299 VULCAN, TOL 2BO OR THE ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION 1331- 29 ST. N. W. CALGARY T2N 4N2.
ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 1-403-485-2633. E-MAIL CONDOLENCES TO vulcanfuneralhome@hotmail.com,