Therese Johnson Matan, larger than life

Therese Johnson Matan, 85, of Chevy Chase, Md., and Rehoboth Beach, passed away Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2026. Terry, as she was known to her contemporaries, and “T” to her family, was a proud graduate of the Georgetown Visitation Preparatory School and junior college. Terry was a longtime docent at the National Gallery of Art, a volunteer in the White House Office of Presidential Correspondence through many administrations and a dedicated Dame in the Order of Malta. Beloved wife of the late Thomas W. Matan, she possessed a larger-than-life personality to compliment his own, and a style that rose to the occasion. With a dazzling smile and blue eyes that could light up the night, she added energy and class to every gathering.

She was the mother of Mark (Suzanne) Matan, Michele (Fred) Dombo, JP (Lacey) Matan, James (Liz) Matan, and the late Tommy Matan; grandmother of Maria Cristina (Luke) Poulos, Ana (Connor) Nolan, Meghan Carroll (Jon) Edwards and Haley Matan, Maisy, Therese, Tommy, Steele, and Hank Dombo, Patrick, Piper, and Billy Matan, and James, Joe, Michael, Caitlyn, and Lizzie Matan; great-grandmother of LJ Poulos; and sister of Kathleen Cadigan, and David and Dick Johnson. She is also survived by a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends. Therese was preceded in death by her siblings Maryanne Blatzheim, Donald Johnson Jr. and Bernard Johnson. 

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 1 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 12, at Shrine of the Most Blessed Sacrament, 5949 Western Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. Private interment at St. Anthony's Church Cemetery, Emmitsburg, Md., will be held at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, consider a donation to Building Futures, buildingfuturesproject.org/donate.