Grover Clifford Matthews, age 82, passed away peacefully on September 12, 2025, at Miami County Hospice in Troy, Ohio. He was born in Glen Dean, Kentucky, son of the late David Matthews and Lillian Oberton Matthews. Grover married his one and only true love Linda Wright on August 31, 1963, at Goshen Baptist Church in Glen Dean, Kentucky.
He was sworn into the United States Air Force on January 20, 1961, where he began a long and successful career beginning as an aircraft mechanic and becoming a pilot. Grover held advanced pilot licenses including commercial pilot and instructor. After retiring from the United States Air Force on February 9, 1983, he began his second career where he owned and operated a flight school at Greene County Airport in Dayton, Ohio. He was the pilot for WHIO TV Dayton, Ohio weather and news, reporting twice daily for many years. He was the owner of Matthews Aviation where he sourced and sold airplane parts and aircraft and owned and operated North Benton Municipal Airport.
Grover loved traveling and he and Linda spent every winter in Laughlin, Nevada for many years. They enjoyed taking cruises to Alaska (Grover’s favorite place) and recent years vacationing with their daughters. Grover also loved deep sea salmon fishing in Alaska where he was stationed twice while in the Air Force.
Grover is survived by Linda, his wife of 62 years.
Daughters and sons-in-law: Rhonda and Scott Drake and Linda and Tim Schaeffer
Granddaughters: Dr. Emily Schaeffer., Amy Schaeffer, Melanie Schaeffer, Lilly Schaeffer and Jenifer Schaeffer.
Brothers: Billy Matthews and Roger Matthews
In addition to his parents, he is preceded in death by his infant son Grover Matthews, Jr.; sisters Billie Jane and Betty Sue Matthews; brother Buddy Matthews and cousin Denver Matthews.
Family and friends are invited to celebrate Grover’s life on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, at Trent-Dowell Funeral Home from 4 – 7 PM. Funeral services will be held at Goshen Baptist Church on Thursday, September 18, 2025, at 10 AM with burial in the Sand Knob Cemetery. All times are central.