Howard C. Matson, age 80, a resident of Wheaton, IL, went to be with the Lord on Thursday, February 22, 2018 at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood, IL. Born August 7,1937 in Chicago, Howard was the fifth of six children born to Henry and Adele Matson.

Howard grew up in Chicago, graduating from Carl Schurz High School in 1955. While attending Wheaton College, Howard met Nancy Wiegand. Following his graduation in 1959, they were married on June 25,1960. He then attended Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, earning a Masters of Divinity degree in 1962.

In 1962, Howard started his ministry at Saron Evangelical Free Church in Cooperstown, North Dakota. At this time Howard developed a love of Christian Camping ministries, becoming involved with Cooperstown Bible Camp where a stable was named in his honor. During his final years in North Dakota, he pastored two additional local churches as well as serving as director of the Bible Camp. In 1969 the Matsons moved to Brooklyn Center, MN, where Howard pastored the Berean Evangelical Free Church.

In 1974, the Matson family now five strong with Jim, Amy, and Mark, moved to the Chicago area, where Howard became the Pastor at Village Evangelical Free Church in South Holland, IL. During this time, he served on several national EFCA boards, along with the boards of Trinity Evangelical Divinity School (TEDS) and Camp Timber-lee in East Troy, WI. In 1991, he completed his Doctor of Ministry Degree from TEDS. In 1991 Howard and Nancy moved to Libertyville as Howard became a Professor and Director of Placement at TEDS.

Howard had a love and continued commitment for both Wheaton College and TEDS. After six years of teaching and training new pastors, in 1997, Howard and Nancy moved to his next ministry position, serving as senior pastor at Calvary Community Church in Williams Bay, WI. Moving to Williams Bay was a type of homecoming as Howard spent his childhood summers there, attending the same church. He retired from Calvary in 2006.

In 1993 Howard was diagnosed with with a rare lung condition, Alpha 1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.

In 2009, the Lord provided a donor lung, and Dr. Robert Love of Loyola preformed a life saving procedure. Five hours later Howard emerged with a new lung and a new lease on life. In 2010, Howard and Nancy moved to Wheaton, IL and joined the Wheaton Evangelical Free Church. It wasn't long before Howard started to teach and serve the church within the Adult Sunday School ministry until his health forced him to finally retire in June 2017.

Howard loved his wife Nancy, who was his partner in ministry throughout his life. Howard considered his family, both immediate and extended, to be his greatest blessing.

Howard's faith in God defined him. He never wasted an opportunity to share the Gospel. In his retirement years he invested his time in reading, studying, and memorizing God's Word. He continued to be a mentor, advisor, and prayer warrior to many people.

Howard is survived by his wife Nancy (Wiegand) Matson, three children: James (Susan) Matson, Amy Matson Velasquez, and Mark (Toby) Matson; eight grandchildren, Erik, Kristina, Marc, Suzanne, Anna, Rachel, Cade, and Ellie. He is also survived by sisters, Grace Peterson, and Doris (Art) Bauer, sisters-in-law, Lois Matson, Margaret Davis, Joyce (Max) Swim, Judy Johannsen, and brothers-in-law John (Ruth) Wiegand, and James (Gail) Wiegand. He was also blessed with numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his brother Henry Matson, and sisters Marilyn (Bert) Johnson, and Virginia (Richard) Trebilco.

A visitation will be held on Sunday, March 4, 2018 from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Compass Church, 520 E. Roosevelt Road in Wheaton. A funeral service will be held on the following morning at 10:30 a.m. at the church. All are invited to celebrate the life of Howard Matson.

Memorial gifts may be directed to the Howard Matson Scholarship Fund at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School . This fund was established in 2010 and provides tuition assistance for students seeking to serve the EFCA as Pastors. This fund is resides at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Office of University Advancement, 2065 Half Day Road, Deerfield, IL 60015.  Memorial gifts can also be sent to the Compass Church in Wheaton for their ministry throughout DuPage County and throughout the world as an Evangelical Free Church.

One of his favorite verses was 2 Timothy 1:7.  "For God has not given us a spirit of timidity and fear, but of power and love and self discipline."