Georgianne Matthews' Obituary
Georgianne E. Matthews, 81 passed away at ACCURA Healthcare in Ames, Iowa on September 11, 2020. Georgianne was born on April 23, 1939 in Chicago, Illinois to George Fredrick and Katharine Christine. (Spilger) Matthews. Georgianne grew up in Chicago where she attended Alice Barnard Public Grade School K-8 and she attended and graduated from high school at The University of Chicago Laboratory School. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Mundelein College in Chicago. In 1962 she moved to Carmel, California to be closer to family. She became a long time resident of the Monterey Bay area where she supported cultural events in the community as a Former President of the Salinas - Monterey Guild and as a member of the Monterey Symphony Board. She received her Masters of Education Degree from San Francisco State University in San Francisco, California. In her young adult life Georgianne combined her pleasure of worldwide traveling with a longing to fulfill a childhood dream of providing extraordinary educational opportunities for children in a school based on her own educational experiences. She attempted to Co-Found an orphanage in Vietnam. She was Co-Founder and Joint Managing Trustee of the GEM-Bach Mai Foundation Trust (India) and Co-Founder of the KAM Centre for Educational Therapy where she was the teacher of the untouchable children in Bombay, India. She was the founder and President of The Alma School Foundation, the founder, administrator and teacher of the Alma School in Salinas, California the Alma Mobile School for Mexican/American Migrant Children in Salinas and Holtville, California and the Alma School Choice Encounters in Carmel, California. In her retirement Georgianne was the creator and publisher of over 80 Classical Great Minds and Children's Miniature Books which she produced by hand. She recorded her life story in a manuscript titled Life's Journey. She loved her family, her students and a variety of pets that included her four dogs; Klineist, Psalm, Twenty-third and Mamie. In 2015 Georgianne moved to Ames, Iowa to be closer to family. She was a Pacifist and a Free Choice Thinker that believed in the search for that which is good, and truthful and seek to express it in one's actions. Georgianne is preceded in death by her parents, sister Coral Scherba and brother-in-law Dr. Gerald Scherba, sister Katharine M. Shambaugh and one infant great niece Lily Katharine Tondra. Georgianne is survived by her sister Elizabeth E. Middleton, and brother-in-law Larry R. Middleton of Ames, Iowa, Brother-in-Law Dr. George E. Shambaugh, III and his wife Roberta of Atlanta Georgia, ten nieces and nephews and fourteen great nieces and nephews who live in different parts of the world. Due to Covid 19, Memorial arrangements under the direction of Grandon Funeral and Cremation Care in Ames, Iowa will be at a later date .In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be directed to ACCURA Healthcare,of Ames, 3430 Grand Avenue, Ames, Iowa 50010 or Suncrest Home Health and Hospice 5959 Village View Drive, Suite 100 West Des Moines, Iowa 50266. Online condolences may be directed to: www.grandonfuneralandcremationcare.com
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