Dana Kay Matson, 62, artist, administrative assistant and communicator, died Thursday, Nov. 14, 2013, in Denver, Colo., of complications from Huntington's disease and breast cancer. Memorial service: 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in Chapel of the Good Shepherd at University Christian Church in Fort Worth. At her request, her body was cremated and her ashes will be scattered in her beloved Rocky Mountains near Denver. Dana was born Oct. 29, 1951, in Midland to Kathryn Chisholm and Morris Matson. After her first grade in school, the family moved to Fort Worth and she attended public schools until her graduation from Southwest High in 1970. She was an active member of Northside Church of the Nazarene in Fort Worth and later of First Church of the Nazarene in Arlington. With her parents and younger sister, Paula, she lived in Pretoria, South Africa, for a year. While living there she studied art at the University of South Africa. Previously she had studied art at Southern Nazarene University and and in 1979 she received a BFA degree from UTA with a major in radio-TV-broadcasting and a minor in art. Her love of art was a lifelong affair that began in the second grade at South Hills Elementary in Fort Worth. She studied art continuously until her health deteriorated to the point that it was no longer physically possible. Her paintings are owned by numerous collectors and cherished by her family and friends. Her professional career including serving as a disc jockey at KSCS under the eye and tutelage of Bill Mack, service as a TV weather "girl" in Sherman and as the voice of NOAA Radio in Fort Worth. According to Bill Mack, she had a perfect radio voice. In addition to these positions she worked as an administrative assistant at Motorola and IBM and she also worked retail sales for Dillard's. Dana has lived in Denver for the past 13 years. She retired in 2008 after being incapacitated with carpel tunnel syndrome. Dana was predeceased by her 5-month-old daughter, KelligeorgeAnn Baker, and her very close cousin, Kelly Downs. Survivors: Daughter, Kristin Dane Baker; parents, Morris and Kathryn Matson of Fort Worth; sister, Paula Panchak of Arlington; nieces, Dana Marie Reed, Kathryn Baugher and Veronica Carl. Numerous cousins and a great-nephew and great-niece were all loved by Dana and they in return loved her. In recent years she was very close to her cousins, Sandy, Val and Jan.
Published in Star-Telegram on Nov. 19, 2013