Janet Matthews

Janet Echelbarger DeLong Matthews of Westerville, Ohio passed away peacefully on Saturday May 23. She was 98 years old.

Janet was born in Columbus, Ohio on July 28, 1927, to Chalmer B. and Norene (Buzby) Echelbarger.

Janet is survived by her daughter Carolyn Veerjee (Jim Nagy) of Logan, Ohio and son Dale DeLong (Patricia Roetzel) of Akron, Ohio and stepson Mark (Gail) Matthews of Westlake, Ohio and stepdaughter Marla (Kevin) Good.

She is survived by grandsons Omar Veerjee and Zane DeLong, step grandson Shaun (Jennifer) Matthews of Westlake, Ohio and step granddaughters Shelly (Lee) Kanney of Findley, Ohio, Haley (Ryan) West and Marlaina (Cory) Caterina; great grandchildren (Aiden and Micah Veerjee) and step great grandchildren (Caleb, Evan, Graham and Micah Kanney, Declan and Torin Matthews, and Riley Caterina).

Janet is also survived by her sister, Kay Atwood, of Pataskala, Ohio and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Janet was preceded in death by her parents and two wonderful husbands, Chester DeLong, who she was married to for 26 years, and Wesley Norman Matthews, who she was married to for 38 years. She was preceded in death by five brothers and one sister, three half-brothers and two half-sisters.

Janet retired from Bank One (now part of J.P. Morgan Chase) after 31 years of service in 1992, where she was a well-known presence in the Uptown Westerville office for many years.

She grew up on Morse Road on a farm (now part of the Easton shopping area) and attended Central College Schools. She attended Westerville and Mifflin High Schools. She graduated from Mifflin.

Janet was always busy and engaged in her community. She enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles, working on art projects and working outside with flowers and in the garden. She enjoyed where she lived, first in Westerville for many years where she raised her family with Chet, then on Dustin Road in Galena on Norm’s farm, and finally many years with Norm at the condo at Windemere in Westerville, where she was once the president of the condo association.

Janet enjoyed traveling. She was in Florida and Georgia numerous times, often spending time with family and friends. She did a long cross-country trip with Norm all over the western United States. And she achieved one of her lifelong dreams when she and Norm vacationed in Hawaii.

Services will be held at Hill Funeral Home in Westerville on Monday June 1. Visiting hours will be from 11:00 a.m.-1:00 p.m. with services at 1:00 p.m. Burial will take place at North Lawn Memory Gardens in Westerville after services.

A celebration of life gathering will be announced.