Silvia Peterjanis Matthews, M.D.

Silvia Peterjanis Matthews, M.D. passed away on Oct. 6, 2017 after several months of illness. She was born in Riga, Latvia on March 23, 1924.

After living through the horror of WWII, Silvia with her sister, mother, and nephews escaped from the terror of the Communists in a several months trek to the area of Germany won by the Allies.

The family lived in a refugee camp in Hildesheim, Germany. Silvia studied for her medical degree at the Univesitatmedizin in Gottingen, Germany. There she met her husband to be, Mischa (Michael A. Matthews). They married in 1948 in Gottingen, Germany.

Their daughter, Mara was born while they were still in the refugee camp. They and many others from Hildesheim were sponsored to the USA by a Mr. Petersime to Gettysburg, Ohio. Both Silvia and Michael did their internship and residency at Bethesda Hospital in Cincinnati, Ohio where their son, Andre was born.

They were hired by the Lions Club of Trenton, Ohio in 1956. Peter, their second son was soon born in Trenton. They both became very involved with the Boy Scouting program. Through all their work with the Boy Scouts they were awarded Scouting’s highest medal of recognition. Silvia was invited by Lady Baden Powell (wife of Lord Baden Powell, the father of the Boy Scouts) to teach courses to Boy Scout leaders in England.

In the late 1970s, she became the medical director of the General Motors Plant in Hamilton, Ohio and then went on to be medical director of the GM plant in Dayton, Ohio.

She and her Husband both retired and moved to Fountain Hills in 1989 where they became enthusiastic members of the local golf club. Silvia scored a hole in one.

Her husband, Michael passed away in 1998. Silvia is survived by Mara and her husband, Janis; children, Dzintra and Krisjanis, Andre and his wife, Debra; children; Patrick and wife, Theodora and granddaughter, Basil; Michael, Alex and his wife, Colette and granddaughter, Brooklyn; Theodore and his wife, Michelle and Joseph and Peter and his wife, Alberta; children, Janis, Alberts, Eriks.

There will be a gathering at her home Saturday, Dec. 2 at 3 p.m. with family and friends, for a private ceremony. Silvia will be interred with her husband at the Latvian Cemetery ROTA in New York.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Garezers (The Latvian Camp and High School) in Three Rivers, Mich.