Jim BOOTH

I met Mat (Michael Anthony Terry) when we (Montecito) played a basket ball game at half time at Acalanes while in 5th grade....we beat them!  We were close friends from then on.  Mat, Bob  Hoedel and I went to sign up at DVC - after getting our classes Mat said "do we really want to do this?"  He said lets join the Army....Bob (the only one of us with an IQ above 90) rejected Mat's suggestion....Mat & I enlisted that day...For three years I thought that it was the wost mistake I made.  Upon getting out of the Army (Vietnam was just getting hot)  Mat went to college to become a x-ray tech..which was one of the few things he ever completed.(I went to Bethany Bible College in Santa Cruz)  Mat went to work at Concord Hospital where he met Carla and they were married and had a daughter he  named  "Brook Lynn"  that he thought was funny. 

Mat, his family and mother were vacationing in Coosbay Oregon ( I have driven out of the way to aviod that place) Well, a group of Girl Scouts were in the water - in bad trouble - Mat took off his shoes and handed his wallet to Carla and went in the surf to save the scouts....he saved at least one and went back in for the Denmother...The last time out another young man went in with Mat....Mat's body was never recovered.  He gave his life for another... which the Bible calls the 'greatest gift than someone would lay down his life for another'. 

I had the privledge of officiating at Mat's funerial -  I have always regreted not saying more than I did.  I have totally lost contact wth Mat's wife.  I found out that Carla was PG with Mat's second child at the funerial.  Mat never knew!

So good buddy we created a lot of foolishness together.    My hope that the words that Karen and I shared with you and Carla  just before that eventful day will have taken heart.   See you in heaven.

I just had to write this...

So so much more could be said...  JIM