Matthew Rufus Chalmers

Matthew Rufus Chalmers was born early in the morning on April 1, 1949 in Gainesville, Texas at Gainesville Sanatorium following a late-night domino game between Tom and Mary Binford and his parents, Dan and Dixie Enderby Chalmers.  He was named Matthew after his paternal grandmother whose maiden name was Matthews.  Trying unsuccessfully to come up with a middle name, they turned to Dr. Rufus Whiddon who said, “Name him after me,” and thus he got the middle name Rufus.

Following graduation from Gainesville High School, he attended McMurry College in Abilene, Texas, where he played football and met the love of his life Cecelia Ruth Boles.  They married in Stamford, Texas, on May 29, 1971, and spent 48 years together which, as he liked to say, were 36 of the happiest years of his life.

He loved kids, dogs, and fishing—not necessarily in that order.

Following in his grandfather Chalmers’s footsteps, Matt embarked on a career in education that spanned 43 years teaching and coaching all over West Texas.  He finished his career in Valley View as the middle school principal.  Not done with public education, he ran for the board of regents at North Central Texas College and served proudly for six years promoting the college wherever possible.

Matt’s faith was very important to him and he served First Presbyterian Church of Gainesville for many years as the Clerk of the Session.  As an anchor of his Sunday School class, he will be missed by many.

Matt died on June 8, 2019 following a short but extremely difficult bout with glioblastoma. He was preceded in death by his parents Daniel E. and Dixie Enderby Chalmers as well as his brother Dan Chalmers.  He is survived by his wife Ruth Boles Chalmers; his daughter Katherine and Walter Schwarm and grandchildren Louisa and Theodore Schwarm of Sacramento, California; and his son Stewart and Leslie Chalmers and grandchildren Rylan and Rachael Chalmers of Jacksboro, Texas.  Also surviving him are his sister Julia Chalmers Cunningham of Sachse, Texas, his mother-in-law Bernice Cochran of Gainesville, Texas, his brother-in-law Jerry and Vickie Boles, his sister-in-law Molly and Jerry Clements, his devoted caregiver Dustie Oglethorpe of Marietta, Oklahoma and a host of nieces, nephews, and cousins in addition to countless friends and former students.

Matt will be remembered as a loving and faithful husband and father, a dedicated educator, a storyteller, and a fisherman.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to Home Hospice of Grayson, Cooke and Fannin Counties or to the North Central Texas College Foundation in his name or in the name of his grandfather W. E. Chalmers.

Special thanks go out to members of First Presbyterian Church and Home Hospice.  One of his friends summed up Matt’s life by saying, “The world is a better place because Matt was here," and these two organizations certainly made our journey better.

A celebration of the life of Matt Chalmers will be held at First Presbyterian Church, Gainesville, at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, June 22, 2019. Visitation with the family will be in the fellowship hall following the service.