George James Matthews of Manchester-by-the-Sea died peacefully on January 11 after illness surrounded by his family. George was born on February 13, 1930 to Wallace James Matthews, Sr. and Catherine Carter Matthews. George grew up in East Boston, attending public schools and playing football for his high school.
George graduated from Northeastern University in 1956 with double degrees, one in Business Administration and another in Industrial Engineering. He was an energetic and fearless entrepreneur, owning and managing a number of companies during his lifetime, most recently The Registry. At the Registry, an agency that places interim executives with colleges and universities, George worked alongside his son, Kevin, who now serves as The Registry’s CEO. George was founding owner of the United States Football League and a co-owner of the USFL’s Boston Breakers football team. George served on many boards of directors during his career.
In 1950, George married Hope MacDonald and they raised four children, Karen Matthews, Kevin Matthews, Maureen Matthews McClintock, and Kathleen Matthews Rodgers in Littleton, Massachusetts. Later, George, Hope and Kathleen moved to Manchester-by-the-Sea, where George enjoyed sailing his sloop It’s About Time.
Northeastern University was a very special place to George. George believed the University’s unique Cooperative Education program, mixing work experience with education, was foundational for his career, and for many others, too. George joined the University’s Board of Trustees in the 1980s. During his tenure, George led the effort to renovate the former Northeastern Arena (originally known as Boston Arena), giving the Arena new life. The University renamed the Arena the George J. & Hope M. Matthews Arena in honor of George and his first wife, Hope. In 1989, he was elected Chairman of the Board of Trustees, serving in that position for ten years. His leadership transformed Northeastern from a regional institution to a nationally ranked university (now ranked #40 nationally by U.S. News & World Report). George was instrumental in the University establishing the Center for the Study of Sports in Society. For his service the University honored George with its highest honor, granting him an honorary Doctorate of Humanities in 1986. The University’s most prestigious faculty and student awards, the Matthews’ Distinguished Professor and the Distinguished Scholar Awards, were named for George and his wife Kathleen Waters Matthews. For George’s support of the University’s athletic programs, including women’s athletics, George was inducted into the Northeastern Athletic Hall of Fame.
George joined forces with Mikhail Gorbachev to establish the Gorbachev Foundation of North America, which is dedicated to “the triumph of humanism and justice” in the world. George and Mikhail Gorbachev were the Foundation’s first leaders. The Foundation hosts events for world leaders addressing the issues of economic development, democracy and justice.
He was co-founder and member of the Club of Madrid, a resource center for democracy whose one-hundred-plus members are all former prime ministers or presidents of their respective countries. George served as a Senior Fellow of the Institute of Socio-Economic and Political Studies at Trinity College of Oxford University, U.K.
George received many honors during his lifetime. In 1998, George received the Medal of Honor from the Les Amis D’Escoffier Society of Boston. The Vatican State honored George with a knighthood, making him a Knight Grand Cross of the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem, which was founded in 1099. George was a proud member of the Clover Club of Boston, serving as its President in 1993.
For all of his honors and accomplishments, George was a product of East Boston. He believed that everyone in an organization and community had value and was important. Whether you were the chief financial officer or the receptionist, the president of a large corporation or a machinist, you were important. George could be a force of nature as a leader, but he always respected people of character, regardless of their station in life. He believed that success did not always last and, if a person’s life took a bad turn, help should be provided. These are the values that George shared and passed along to us.
George is survived by his loving wife, Kathleen Waters Matthews of Manchester-by-the Sea, MA; his daughters Karen Matthews of Rockport MA, Maureen Matthews (Lon) McClintock of Shaftsbury, VT and Kathleen Matthews (Robert) Rodgers of Magnolia, MA, his son, Kevin (Prema) Matthews of Sudbury, MA, his sister Ann Regan of Belmont, MA and his brother Wallace (Sherry Loo, M.D.) Matthews, Jr., M.D., of Honolulu, HI. George is also survived by his grandchildren Alex Sorgi (Ryan Fairchild) of Jersey City, NJ; Mark Sorgi (Bianca deLeigh) of Watertown, MA; Matthew McClintock of South Burlington, VT, Carter McClintock (Calla Harrington) of Greenfield, MA, Samantha Rodgers, Mikaela (Matthew) Daigle, and Derek Rodgers, all of Magnolia, MA and Ranjani Matthews of Sudbury, MA, and great-grandson of Jackson Fairchild. He was predeceased by his loving wife Hope MacDonald Matthews, his parents Catherine Carter Matthews and Wallace James Matthews, Sr., his sisters and brothers-in-law – Edna and Charles Dankens, Alice Matthews, Thomas Regan, Joan and Frederick Peterson. He also leaves behind many nieces and nephews.
His funeral Mass will be celebrated at Visitation Parish (formerly Sacred Heart Church), 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-Sea on Monday, Jan. 15th at 11 am. Relatives and friends are invited to attend. A visiting hour will be held prior to the Mass in the church on Monday from 10 – 11 am. The burial service will be private at the convenience of the family. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to Visitation Parish, 62 School Street, Manchester-by-the-sea, MA 01944. Arrangements by the Campbell Funeral Home, 525 Cabot Street, Beverly.
