Mary Ann “Corky” Matthews
May 7, 1930 – November 2, 2023
Mary Ann “Corky” Matthews (neé Corthell) died of natural causes on November 2, 2023, following a brief illness. An avid botanist, conservationist and environmental activist, a newsletter writer and editor for a variety of publications, author of the seminal The Plants of Monterey County: An Illustrated Field Key, board member of a panoply of non-profit organizations, as well as an ardent rock climber, hiker, backpacker, skier, mountaineer and life member of the Sierra Club and American Alpine Club, she was a Monterey County resident for more than 68 years. She passed peacefully in her Carmel Valley home, with daughter, Katharine (Kim), son Graham, daughter-in-law Noreen Doyas and devoted caregiver Michele Perry at her side. Her family is grateful for hospice services provided by Central Coast Visiting Nurses Association, and for her other dedicated caregivers over the past decade.
Mary Ann was born in Mill Valley in 1930 to Huron DeWitt and Ilyeen Bernice (Remick) Corthell, graduated from Tamalpais High School, and earned an AA at the College of Marin. Nicknamed “Corky”, in college she joined the Sierra Club, whose outings helped inculcate her lifelong love of the outdoors. In 1948 she transferred to Stanford University, where she was an enthusiastic member of the Stanford Alpine Club, learned to rock climb, and backpacked throughout Yosemite. She majored in International Relations and graduated in 1950.
Returning to Yosemite in 1951, she worked in offices and hotels, and whenever possible in between shifts, headed up into the mountains. She scaled crags, peaks and pinnacles throughout the park and made the first ascent of John’s Other Chimney with John Ohrenschall in 1953. While ski mountaineering in Yosemite in 1954, Corky Corthell met her future husband, W.V. Graham Matthews, Jr., himself a noted alpinist who had climbed around the world. A year later they married and settled in Pebble Beach, moving to Carmel Valley in 1960.
She is survived by son WV Graham Matthews, III (Noreen Doyas) of Weaverville, daughter, Katharine (Kim) Matthews (David Massey) of Boulder, Colorado and Washington, D.C., grandchildren Alex Massey, Robbie Massey, Melia Matthews and Kelvin Matthews, nieces and nephews Cheryl Corthell Blomstrom, David Corthell, Celia Corthell Parlasca and Ross Corthell and their mother Sylvia Kurzrock. She was preceded in death by her father, mother, stepmother Elizabeth Corthell, husband, brother Nellis Eugene Corthell and many close friends. She was the last surviving of 21 first cousins, descended from grandparents Nellis Eugene and Eleanor Quackenbush Corthell of Laramie, Wyoming. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation in her memory to the California Native Plant Society, Monterey Bay Chapter (chapters.cnps.org/montereybay) or the Sierra Club, Ventana Chapter (ventanasierraclub.org).
A Celebration of Life service will be held on February 8, 2024 at Hidden Valley Music Seminars in Carmel Valley. RSVP to Kim Matthews (ki.matthews@verizon.net) for details and so that we may plan refreshments.
In mid-July 2024, interment will be held at the Corthell Family plot in Greenhill Cemetery in Laramie, Wyoming. For details, email Kim Matthews