John Matthews Brittingham died peacefully on Dec. 9, 2024, at his home in Pagosa Springs, Colo. He was 94.
John was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on April 16, 1930, to Lucile Matthews Brittingham and Harold Hixon Brittingham. He grew up in Fort Worth, Texas, where his mother moved to be near her family after his father died in 1937. John spent his summers at Lambshead, his family’s ranch near Albany, Texas, and decided he wanted to be a cattle rancher like his Uncle Watt Matthews. John was educated at Hotchkiss and Yale, was on the swimming team at Yale, and was in the Marine Corps stationed in Korea as part of the peacekeeping force after the armistice. After returning from Korea, he began his ranching career. He ranched around Albany, Texas, but soon bought a ranch in Ramah, Colo., and ranched there 27 years. In 1983, he traded that ranch and, along with his family, bought the Park Springs Ranch in Anton Chico, N.M. He lived on and worked that cattle ranch for 29 years, along with his wife Jean, until retiring to Pagosa Springs in 2012.
John was a director for Region 9 of the Soaring Society of America and was team captain for the World Soaring Championships in France in 1978 and Germany in 1981.
He held seven state of Colorado Soaring Records from 1964 to 1970, most of them flown out of the Black Forest Glider port in Colorado Springs. He was inducted into the Soaring Hall of Fame in 1985. John was also a private pilot and owned several airplanes throughout his life. After retiring to Pagosa Springs, John enjoyed playing bridge, working out at the PLPOA Rec Center and walking with his dog Pearl. He is survived by his beloved wife, Jean; his children, John Clark Brittingham and Nel Brittingham McGrath; a granddaughter, Whitney Zane Brittingham; many nieces and nephews along with their children and grandchildren; and many cousins and friends.
John died a happy man, grateful for a long and interesting life and for the love he received during his life.
