Obituary of Charles E. Matteson

Poultney, VT - Charles E. Matteson, age 90, passed away on January 12, 2024 at Rutland Regional Medical Center. Charlie was born on June 20, 1933 in Sunderland, Vermont, the son of Byron E. and H. Lavina (Fox) Matteson. He graduated from Burr and Burton Academy in Manchester at the top of his class. By the time his senior year rolled around Charlie took the afternoons and worked at Wilcox Dairy expounding on his farming knowledge. Upon graduation he attended the Randolph Agriculture College (currently Vermont Tech) from which he graduated with a degree in Agriculture. After college he worked for a farmer in Dorset VT before moving to Poultney and hauling milk, then a time working at Green Mt. College doing maintenance before farming full time for himself. Pat & Charlie met at a dance they both attended at Idylwild Pavilion at Lake St. Catherine. Patricia had just moved to Dorset with her family, and Charlie was working for a farmer in Dorset at the time. Pat being younger, they dated for a few years until she finished high school and college. They were married in 1957 and shared the next 66 years of life and love. They sugared for several years and after retiring from dairy farming, they established Riverside Maples as a business to continue making and selling their maple syrup. The business still runs under another name by his son-in-law. Charles was very active throughout his life. He was a 75 year member of the Grange, over 50 years as a Mason, a member of the Vt. Cooperative Farm Bureau, the Agriculture Society of Vermont, the Vermont State Fair Board and the Vt Maple Sugar Association, to name a few of the organizations that were better for Charlie having participated. He was predeceased by his parents, a sister Nancy Usrey and his daughter Dorothy Roberts. He is survived by the love of his life Pat (Scott), his brother Howard Matteson (Barbara) and five daughters: Susan Lockwood (Wayne) of Middletown Springs, Martha Kirchner of W. Pawlet, Pam Gibbs (Gordon "Skip") of Poultney, Linda Whiting (Arnie) of Granville and BettyJean Bogue (Roger) of Shelburne. He was blessed with 11 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren. A Celebration of Charlie's life will be held on January 21, 2024 at the Bomoseen Valley Grange Hall, Route 30 Castleton VT, from 1 – 3 pm, with the Grange ceremony at 1:30. A family burial will be in June at Mountainview Cemetery in West Pawlet, VT. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the East Poultney Baptist Church or the Bomoseen Valley Grange, %Martha Kirchner, PO box 623, Manchester Ctr VT 05255. Online condolences may be made at www.robertmkingfuneralhome.com