Changes

In 1969, Mathews unseated Streets and Parks Commissioner William H. "Bill" Lambdin, Sr. (1894-1980),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lambdin&GSfn=William&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=120518420&df=all&|title=William Henry Lambdin|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref> in the Democratic [[primary]]. In that same election cycle, [[John K. Snyder]] was defeated for [[mayor]] by Charles Edward "Ed" Karst (1931-1992) but rebounded in 1973 to win the top position. The 16-year incumbent mayor, William George Bowdon, Jr. (1921-2005), trailed in the primary election. Carroll Edwin Lanier (1926-2012), meanwhile was elected for a single term in 1969 as finance and utilities commissioner. Mathews lost his position in the 1973 primary to Malcolm Paul Hebert, Sr. (1926-2006), a registered engineer known for his Cajun humor. The commission system of government ended with the 1977 municipal elections, when Lanier defeated Snyder for mayor. Now the mayor is the executive officer and the city council is the legislative branch of local government.<ref name=ccharter/>

In 1969, Mathews unseated Streets and Parks Commissioner William H. "Bill" Lambdin, Sr. (1894-1980),<ref>{{cite web|url=https://old.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GSln=Lambdin&GSfn=William&GSbyrel=all&GSdyrel=all&GSst=20&GScntry=4&GSob=n&GRid=120518420&df=all&|title=William Henry Lambdin|publisher=Old.findagrave.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref> in the Democratic [[primary]]. In that same election cycle, [[John K. Snyder]] was defeated for [[mayor]] by Charles Edward "Ed" Karst (1931-1992) but rebounded in 1973 to win the top position. The 16-year incumbent mayor, William George Bowdon, Jr. (1921-2005), trailed in the primary election. Carroll Edwin Lanier (1926-2012), meanwhile was elected for a single term in 1969 as finance and utilities commissioner. Mathews lost his position in the 1973 primary to Malcolm Paul Hebert, Sr. (1926-2006), a registered engineer known for his Cajun humor. The commission system of government ended with the 1977 municipal elections, when Lanier defeated Snyder for mayor. Now the mayor is the executive officer and the city council is the legislative branch of local government.<ref name=ccharter/>

Matthews was the sixth of eleven children, all of whom are deceased, of John Lawrence Mathews (1888-1935) and the former Mary Rosalie Michiels (1893-1966).<ref name=findagrave/> One of his brothers, Thomas J. "Tom" Mathews (1926-2007), was a long-term member of the Rapides Parish Police Jury. O'Hearn Mathews and his wife, Helen B. Mathews (born 1926), had at least two sons, Larry O'Hearn Mathews (born February 6, 1948), a former Alexandria city engineer and a resident of Woodworth in Rapides Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/larry-mathews/e514601226510|title=Larry Mathews|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref> who is married to the former Brenda K. Curlee (born January 31, 1951), and Rodney Brent Mathews (1956-1974), who died at the age of seventeen shortly before the passing of his father.

Matthews was the sixth of eleven children, all of whom are deceased, of John Lawrence Mathews (1888-1935) and the former Mary Rosalie Michiels (1893-1966).<ref name=findagrave/> One of his brothers, Thomas J. "Tom" Mathews (1925-2007), was a long-term member of the Rapides Parish Police Jury. O'Hearn Mathews and his wife, Helen B. Mathews (born 1926), had at least two sons, Larry O'Hearn Mathews (born February 6, 1948), a former Alexandria city engineer and a resident of Woodworth in Rapides Parish,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mylife.com/larry-mathews/e514601226510|title=Larry Mathews|publisher=Mylife.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref> who is married to the former Brenda K. Curlee (born January 31, 1951), and Rodney Brent Mathews (1956-1974), who died at the age of seventeen shortly before the passing of his father.

Mathews is interred at Alexandria Memorial Gardens.<ref name=findagrave/> The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Field at 6107 Bayou Rapides Road in Alexandria is named in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://football.isport.com/football-fields/us/louisiana/alexandria/the-ohearn-mathews-soccer-complex-1523100|title=The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Complex|publisher=Football.isport.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref>

Mathews is interred at Alexandria Memorial Gardens.<ref name=findagrave/> The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Field at 6107 Bayou Rapides Road in Alexandria is named in his honor.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://football.isport.com/football-fields/us/louisiana/alexandria/the-ohearn-mathews-soccer-complex-1523100|title=The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Complex|publisher=Football.isport.com|accessdate=April 29, 2018}}</ref>