O'Hearn Mathews
| O'Hearn Mathews | |
Streets and Parks Commissioner of Alexandria, Louisiana
| |
| In office June 1969 – June 1973 | |
| Preceded by | William Henry "Bill" Lambdin, Sr. |
|---|---|
| Succeeded by | Malcolm Paul Hebert |
Alexandria City Marshal
| |
| In office c. 1960 – June 1969 | |
| Succeeded by | Clarence Otis Penny |
| Born | February 8, 1923 Alexandria, Louisiana |
| Died | February 15, 1975 (aged 52) Alexandria, Louisiana |
| Resting place | Alexandria Memorial Gardens |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Helen B. Mathews |
| Children | Including two sons:
Larry O'Hearn Mathews |
| Alma mater | Bolton High School |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
O'Hearn Lawrence Mathews (February 8, 1923 – February 15, 1975)[1] was a Democratic politician from his native Alexandria, Louisiana. He was the city marshal from 1960 to 1969, when he was elected to a single four-term as the elected Alexandria streets and parks commissioner, a post no longer in existence under a revised municipal charter. Mathews was the next-to-the-last of the streets and parks commissioners.[2]Billy Hathorn (March 29, 1977). City Charter Product of Hours of Planning. The Alexandria Town Talk. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.</ref>
In 1962, Mathews was a charter member and the first president of the newly-organized Louisiana City Marshals Association. He was the first president of the organization and the only one to serve two one-year terms in the top leadership. His successor as Alexandria city marshal, Clarence Otis Penny, was the association president in 1981.[3]
In 1969, Mathews unseated Streets and Parks Commissioner William H. "Bill" Lambdin, Sr. (1894-1980),[4] 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 (1926-2006), a registered engineer. 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.[2]
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).[1] He 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,[5] 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 a months before the passing of his father.
Mathews is interred at Alexandria Memorial Gardens.[1] The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Field at 6107 Bayou Rapides Road in Alexandria is named in his honor.ref>The O'Hearn Mathews Soccer Complex. Football.isport.com. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.</ref> [[Category:Politicians
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 O'Hearn Lawrence Mathews. Oldfindagrave.com. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedccharter - ↑ Louisiana City Marshals Association. lamarshals.org. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.
- ↑ William Henry Lambdin. Old.findagrave.com. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.
- ↑ Larry Mathews. Mylife.com. Retrieved on April 29, 2018.