Michelle "Mimi" Mathews

Michelle "Mimi" Mathews, wife, mother, first female Yuba County Supervisor, and partner in the Edward Mathews Ranch agribusiness, passed away on February 12, 2022, after a long, private and courageous battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her loving family. Michelle Desmond was born on March 30, 1940, the third child of Daniel Joseph and Corinne Marie Desmond of San Mateo, California. She was known by her nickname "Mimi" from early childhood. Following her mother's death, her father remarried (Tanya), joining the four siblings (Pati, Dan, Mimi and Laurie) with a sister and brother (Lila and Danny). Later the family grew with the arrival of Kathy and Nicky. Surrounded by her siblings, Mimi grew up in Atherton, and attended nearby Sacred Heart School. She enjoyed recreational and competitive horseback riding, swimming, skiing, turning cartwheels, and tap dancing lessons. She attended high school at Santa Catalina School in Monterey, CA, where she made lifelong friends and earned the moniker of the "hundred merit girl" in her yearbook for acts of service to the school. It was during this time that Mimi's lifelong sense of integrity, determination, and a strong moral compass was honed. Mimi graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri, and went on to University of Nevada, Reno. Soon after, she met her future husband, friend and partner-for-life of 60 years, Edward Mathews. After their marriage, Mimi settled into farm life in District 10, raising four children, handling the bookkeeping for the ranch and becoming active in the local community. Mimi's brother Dan Desmond also moved to the area, and together with Edward's extended family and friends, formed a vibrant, multigenerational social network. Mimi and Edward gave birth to five children, losing their young son Ted in early childhood. Mimi's strong pragmatism, deep family values, and indomitable energy fueled her active motherhood, combining ongoing business support for the ranch with a busy social world. Her husband Edward's warm humor and gentle teasing frequently brought a smile to her face. Together, Mimi and Edward loved creating and enjoying family traditions shared across the extended Mathews and Desmond clans. She also enjoyed teaching crafts to her kids, being Aunt Mimi to her many nieces and nephews, playing tennis and dominoes with her friends, gardening, and enjoying annual vacations to Tahoe and Aptos. These multiple roles naturally drew Mimi into public service, though she may not have characterized it that way. Her pragmatic nature, however, often led her to see what needed doing and take on the project herself. As her children grew, so too her community involvement expanded, from volunteering at Jack and Jill Preschool, to protesting the destruction of historical buildings as part of the "Friends of Old Marysville" in the 1970's. She was part of the founding efforts for the Notre Dame Thrift Shop to support Notre Dame School, which her children attended, and was a frequent volunteer at the shop. Mimi was also an active member of social and service organizations, including the Epsilon Chapter of Alpha Sigma, Riding Club, and the Yuba Sutter Garden Club. In 1984, Mimi was the first woman elected to the Board of Supervisors in Yuba County. Setting out with the tagline: "My only special interest is you," Mimi knocked on door after door, introducing herself to wary strangers and winning them over with her earnest conviction that, if elected, she would listen to and support her constituents. She prevailed, and was elected twice more before retiring after 12 years in office. As Supervisor, Mimi was always available to the community and spent countless hours on the phone and in meetings, serving fairly and being direct and impartial in her decision making. In her second year, Mimi helped lead the community through the crisis of the 1986 levee breach and flood. During her tenure, she also served on the Board and as Chair of the Yuba County Water Agency, and has served on the Assessment Appeals Board a total of 32 years, stepping down to the alternate member role in 2017. Mimi never retired from farm life, working alongside her husband and sons in many capacities. Seeing her family together brought her a deep feeling of satisfaction and occasional moments of relaxation. She was Memo to her grandchildren, and she loved spending time with them and hearing about their accomplishments and exploits. Mimi was preceded in death by her father, mother, step-mother, and siblings; Sr. Patricia Desmond RCSJ, Daniel J. Desmond and Nicholas J. Desmond. She was also preceded in death by her son, Edward John "Ted" Mathews Jr. Mimi is survived by her husband, Edward; and four of her children, Melanie (Bryan Shields), Mark (Dondi), Michelle (Lenny Cottle), and Greg (Kristen); nine beloved grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. She is also survived by her siblings, Lila French, Laurie Hildreth, Dan D. Desmond, and Katherine Frandsen; her sisters and brothers in-law; dozens of nieces and nephews; and many friends who loved her and will miss her deeply. A Catholic funeral will take place on March 11, 2022, at 10:00 AM, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marysville, and there will be a gathering afterwards. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that friends consider donating to the American Cancer Society or Autism Speaks.