The Haxtun-Fleming Herald - What can we reason but from what we know? -Alexander Pope

On Wednesday, April 15, Phillips County Museum volunteers, Carol Haynes and Hilda Hassler, opened a box of gifts sent to the museum by Jeffery and Ina Clem of Penrose. The box contained a "double wedding ring" quilt, plus an assortment of handcrafted knives and a cribbage board made from rocks and wildlife antlers. Ina (Matney) Clem is the daughter of Reverend Mark and Jean Matney, who served the Buffalo Grass Church of the Nazarene, Haxtun, from November 1982 until their retirement from ministry on August 1987.

The quilt that measures 86 inches by 104 inches contains the embroidered names of the Buffalo Grass congregation. Darlene Day, Ella Mustain, Bervice Black, Kay Hines, Dorothy Yost, Carroll Josh and other women of the congregation hand quilted quilt in secret so it could presented to Reverend and Mrs. Matney at a retirement party held at the church on Aug. 13, 1989 as "a lasting memory of the Matney's time in this little country church." Ina reported that keeping the work on the quilt a secret was "quite an accomplishment" since Jean usually stayed involved in all activities at the church.

Reverend Matney was born Washington, the fifth of six children. He grew up during the Great Depression during which he helped his family by fishing and hunting, both of which became life-long passions. He enlisted in the Navy in 1941 during World War II, served on the USS Chicago until it was torpedoed and sunk and then served on the USS San Juan until the end of the war. While serving, he earned 13 battle bronze stars and participated in the evacuation of Japanese Prisoners of War. After he and Jean married, the couple attended Open Bible Standard College in Eugene, Ore. After graduation, they served churches in Oregon until 1953 when they moved to Colorado. They transferred to the Buffalo Church from the Durango Nazarene Church.

The Matney's helped secure and place the parsonage on Church property in 1988.

Jean (Dyer) Matney was born in Cheyenne, Wyo., and also grew up during the Great Depression. At age 14, she and her family moved to Oregon. When World War II started, she went to work at the Swan Island Shipyards where she excelled at welding and was put to work welding the double bottoms of the ships.

A CLOSE up of the embroidered names of the Buffalo Grass Nazarene Church on the retirement gift quilt given to Reverends Mark and Jean Matney.

All of her life, Jean enjoyed taking worn-out items and making them usable and beautiful again. She was also a licensed preacher and at times would prepare and give the weekly sermon. She also played the piano and organ and worked with children and teens.

Reverend Mark was a rockhound and a hunter all of his life. Wherever he walked, he would stoop over and pick up rocks and antlers. Ina said his knowledge of rocks became immense and over the years he created jewelry and knives from polished rocks as well as elk, deer and antelope antlers, and eventually created a design for cribbage boards.

Ina noted that at his little Lapidary workshop in Fleming, Mark began cutting, grinding and polishing rocks that he collected over the Years. He and Jean also attended craft shows and began selling their creations. In addition, they presented many items to friends and family. It is estimated that Mark created between 200 and 300 knives and cribbage boards plus a large quantity of jewelry.