Incident
Officer Joseph Mathews suffered a fatal cerebral hemorrhage shortly after arresting two men for fighting at a resort in Napa County. He had served with the California Highway Patrol for nine years.
Survivors
He is survived by his wife, son, parents, and brother.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
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- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Tributes
I never knew you. I am standing here anyway.
Officer Mathews gave the California Highway Patrol 9 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of California. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, Officer Mathews.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
The Sacrifice · Illness
California Highway Patrol has lost 234 officers; 5 of them lost to illness.
Joseph is one of 75 officers lost to illness in CA, 4.1% of the 1,839 remembered there.
Joseph is one of 2,028 officers lost to illness in the United States, 7.4% of the 27,551 remembered there.
Joseph is one of 2,979 officers lost to illness worldwide, 8.7% of the 34,102 remembered here.
34,102 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1939, 1 officer at California Highway Patrol was lost to illness, the 2nd heaviest of 2 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 4.
In 1939, 1 officer in CA was lost to illness, the 8th heaviest of 19 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 25.
In 1939, 2 officers in the United States were lost to illness, the 46th heaviest of 108 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 564.
In 1939, 12 officers worldwide were lost to illness, the 33rd heaviest of 197 years on record. The heaviest was 2021, with 566.
Who
Joseph was 32. Of the 5 lost to illness at California Highway Patrol whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 44; the middle age was 42. Joseph had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 12 years.
Joseph was 32. Of the 75 lost to illness in CA whose age is recorded, half were between 36.5 and 53; the middle age was 48. Joseph had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 19 years.
Joseph was 32. Of the 1,996 lost to illness in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 42 and 58; the middle age was 51. Joseph had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
Joseph was 32. Of the 2,916 lost to illness worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 39 and 56; the middle age was 49. Joseph had served 9 years; the middle length of service was 20 years.
When
August holds 40% of these deaths at California Highway Patrol, more than any other month. Thursdays: 20%.
August holds 10.7% of these deaths in CA; January holds the most, 13.3%. Thursdays: 16%.
August holds 10.2% of these deaths in the United States; October holds the most, 14.9%. Thursdays: 15.7%.
August holds 9.5% of these deaths worldwide; October holds the most, 12.6%. Thursdays: 15.2%.
How
Illness deaths account for 2.1% of all 234 deaths at California Highway Patrol, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 4.1% of all 1,839 deaths in CA, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 7.4% of all 27,551 deaths in the United States, the 3rd most common cause.
Illness deaths account for 8.7% of all 34,102 deaths worldwide, the 3rd most common cause.
His people
California Highway Patrol has at least 120 officers remembered here, Joseph among them.
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Howard Garlinger
Oct 30, 1929
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Edgar J. Combs
Sep 9, 1930
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Elber Dell Warren
Jan 24, 1931
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Burt Reeves
Sep 22, 1931
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J. W. Shuman
Mar 1, 1932
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Edwin B. Crook
Jul 8, 1932
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A. Edward Hinck
Aug 14, 1932
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Floyd A. Russell
Jan 15, 1933
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Thomas C. Bisset
Jan 26, 1933
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Jarvis Sherman Davis
Mar 10, 1933
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Stephen Samuel Kent
Mar 10, 1933
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John A. Daroux
Mar 12, 1933
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Jack E. Marks
Apr 11, 1933
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Oscar D. McMurry
Mar 5, 1934
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Francis J. Perry
Jul 7, 1934
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Hugh C. Cline
Aug 26, 1934
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Albert Donald Hoover
Aug 31, 1934
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William R. McDaniel
Oct 6, 1934
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Edward Leon Bond
Apr 14, 1935
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Ivan Casselman
Aug 24, 1935
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Charles H. Nissen
Dec 17, 1935
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Earle M. Ames
Dec 11, 1936
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Richard H. Trembath
Dec 4, 1937
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E. R. Carr
Jan 27, 1938
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Leonard Nelson
May 18, 1938
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Earl L. Shryver
Jul 10, 1938
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Fred J. Kowolowski
Dec 26, 1938
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Joseph B. Mathews
Aug 10, 1939
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Ernest R. Nelson
Aug 29, 1939
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Samuel G. Cope, Sr.
Jan 16, 1940
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William F. Malin
Jul 4, 1940
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Maurice W. Owen
Sep 22, 1940
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Marion Paul Mengedoth
Feb 7, 1941
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Leslie Lauterwasser
Jun 27, 1941
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Robert C. Heller
Jan 12, 1942
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Scott Leatherman
May 3, 1942
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Eliot O. Daley
May 17, 1942
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Clinton George Benjamin
Aug 10, 1942
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Joseph A. Stucker
Jan 7, 1943
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Walter Charles Maxey
Feb 2, 1943
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Frederick Wales
Feb 7, 1943
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George E. Ellis, Jr.
Apr 21, 1943
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Nelson S. Dwelly
Jul 10, 1943
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Forrest C. Gerken
Feb 15, 1944
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Forest Underwood
Mar 9, 1944
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John A. Reed
May 18, 1944
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Lewis Willis Gregg
Nov 4, 1944
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George A. Humburg, Jr.
Nov 29, 1944
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David R. Henderson
Dec 7, 1944
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Raymond Henry Berry
Apr 8, 1945
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Norman A. Kessler
May 17, 1945
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James B. Dalziel
Jun 30, 1945
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James H. Vande Weg
Jul 12, 1945
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Harold E. Nichols
Sep 12, 1945
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Loren Cornwell Roosevelt
Jun 5, 1946
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Frank J. Maus
Jul 14, 1946
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Stephen W. Sodel
Sep 17, 1946
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Richard L. Simpson
Sep 25, 1946
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William L. Reardon
Oct 20, 1946
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John R. Walters
Nov 18, 1947
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Alvin Leroy Foss
Apr 26, 1950
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J. Harold Hanson
Aug 19, 1951
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William C. Foote
Jun 23, 1952
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Ralph A. Vargas
Sep 30, 1952
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John Walter Armatoski
May 1, 1953
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Frank M. Epperson
Jul 2, 1954
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William McCrea Chansler
Aug 27, 1954
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John Calvin LaMar
Dec 10, 1954
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James E. Maroney
May 27, 1955
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Charles D. Goss
Nov 25, 1955
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George A. Woodson
Dec 23, 1955
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Edward A. Frey
Jul 2, 1956
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Raymond A. Geiger
Aug 10, 1956
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Charles Taylor Smith
Sep 9, 1956
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Elza P. Fitzpatrick, Jr.
Dec 6, 1956
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Carl H. Jessing
Jan 9, 1957
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Robert E. Reed
Oct 8, 1957
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Camile Edward Madere, Jr.
Jan 24, 1958
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Robert W. Suess
Feb 15, 1958
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Joseph F. Johnston, Jr.
Oct 12, 1958
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Robert B. Heberlie
Nov 22, 1958
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Herbert F. Dimon
Feb 7, 1959
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George E. Kallemeyn
Jul 21, 1959
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Leonard W. Winney
Nov 12, 1959
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Richard D. Duvall, Sr.
Feb 23, 1960
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Robert D. Dale
Mar 10, 1960
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William Pitois
Nov 4, 1960
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Gary L. Grow
Jan 18, 1962
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Jerry Elwin Turre
Apr 21, 1962
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Dale M. Krings
May 21, 1962
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Ronald E. Davis
Aug 18, 1962
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Charles H. Sorenson
Mar 15, 1963
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Donald E. Brandon
Apr 23, 1963
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John R. Ellis
Nov 5, 1963
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Glenn W. Carlson
Nov 15, 1963
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Merle E. DeWitt
Dec 25, 1963
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Ralph A. Minion
Jan 6, 1964
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William D. Huckaby
Jan 12, 1964
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Kenneth L. Witke
Jan 14, 1964
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Coburn B. Jewell
Feb 1, 1964
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James F. Stamback
Mar 23, 1964
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Charles O. Woodworth
Aug 12, 1964
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Leonard L. Layton
Nov 8, 1964
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Jerrel H. Shows, Sr.
Dec 23, 1964
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Merrel L. Kissinger
Feb 14, 1965
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Martin J. Tripptree
Dec 15, 1965
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Michael S. Griffin
Jan 13, 1966
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William C. Isaacs
Aug 25, 1966
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Franke Arthur Story
Jul 19, 1967
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Charles R. Lilly
Oct 29, 1967
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Merle Lee Andrews
Dec 20, 1967
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Kenneth E. Marshall
Jan 9, 1968
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Wesley D. Johnson
Apr 15, 1969
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Richard G. Woods
Jul 16, 1969
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Robert M. Blomo
Sep 4, 1969
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Ambers O. Shewmaker
Nov 24, 1969
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William Robert Court
Feb 13, 1970
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Raymond R. Carpenter
Feb 17, 1970
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Walter C. Frago
Apr 5, 1970
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Roger D. Gore
Apr 5, 1970
Where the Name Is Cut
National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial · Panel 42-E
What is kept
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