Lester G. Matthews

Mr. Lester G. Matthews, Jr., age 83, died in Strasbourg, France August 27, 2007 after battling cancer for several years, was buried in Strasbourg. He was born January 14, 1924 in Muskegon Hts., MI to Lester G. Matthews and Helen McComas. His wife, Renee, of 59 years was at his bedside as he died peacefully. Lester attended Muskegon Schools and graduated from Muskegon Senior High in 1942. He loved music and played the clarinet in the high school band, an avid reader of historic books and a serious stamp collector. In 1942 he entered Lehigh University and was drafted into the Army March 1943. After military training he was sent to Europe where he fought with U.S. Army in Belgium and Holland during W.W.II. Here he acquired a case of trench foot and was sent to a hospital in England. While recovering he attended American University in Biarritz, France and the Sorbonne in Paris. This is where he met his wife Renee but had to finish his studies at Lehigh University before he was to marry Renee. After graduating with a Bachelor of Arts in 1948, they were married in Paris, France. He and his wife returned to Muskegon for two years where Lester worked for Sealed Power Corp. In 1950 he applied and was admitted to Harvard Business School and obtained his MBA in 1952. Lester started his career with the Overseas Division of General Motors Corporation in New York and had many different assignments after New York. He was sent to Paris, France then back to New York before going to Oslo, Norway and Strasbourg, France where he retired in 1985. After retirement Les worked on his genealogy and was very interested in Antique Bugatti cars. He even wrote a book "BUGATTI YESTERDAY AND TODAY" which was well received by Bugatti enthusiasts. His wife will continue to live in Strasbourg.