Barry Matteson passed away from complications of a stroke on Nov. 19, 2021 at the age of 78. He was born Oct. 21, 1943 in Bismarck, N.D. to Roy Matteson and Lucy (Woehler) Matteson.
Barry served in the United States Air Force, and in 1963 was stationed at Elmendorf in Anchorage, AK. Barry was honorably discharged and remained in his beloved Alaska, the state he called home for 57 years. He started a small business, Barry’s Custom Cycle and eventually grew that business to be House of Harley-Davidson, Denali Harley-Davidson, and Kenai Peninsula Harley-Davidson. A Harley-Davidson Dealer for 37 years, he was a founding member of Alaska Bikers Advocating Training and Education, Harley Owners Group Alaska Chapters, Alaska Motorcycle Dealers Association, and a member of American Legion Riders.
He loved to ride his motorcycle, was an avid reader, enjoyed studying the U.S. Constitution, traveled the world, and never stopped learning. He put family first. Barry was generous and gave to many local and national organizations, including Must Read Alaska. He was a patriot and advocated for conservative values.
Barry is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 39 years Karen Sue Matteson, his son Joseph Matteson, daughters, Tammy Thompson, Tracy Czajkowski, Bonita James, Meggie Hoeft and Dia Matteson, his sisters Darby Matteson and Berma Matteson, and his numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren. He was predeceased by his parents Roy Matteson and Lucy Matteson and by his son Brett Matteson.
A celebration of life will be held at Unite Church (2626 Abbott Rd., Anchorage, AK) on Dec. 12 at 3 pm, with a reception to immediately follow at House of Harley-Davidson.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Barry’s honor to one of his favorite charities: The Heritage Foundation (heritage.org) or Downtown Hope Center (downtownhopecenter.org).
A real loss. He was one of the good ones, for sure.
Barry was a friend of mine and family. He will be greatly missed. His wife and children are great people, and his daughter Dia was his best friend. Dia, your father is in heaven with the Lord, so take heart young lady!
I was one of Barry’s oldest customers… and maybe his youngest. Many years ago before becoming an HD dealer Barry worked out of his home garage behind the old auction house in Muldoon. He sold a little motorcycle called a Steen with a Hodaka ACE-100 engine wrapped in a 3/4 scale motocross frame. I saved my paper route money (ADN – Sundays started at 4:00a) and worked a summer job to scrounge enough money to buy one of those bikes.
I rode the crap out of that little motorcycle. All through the trails in the Chugach mountains (now a closed watershed) and would scoot down the road on that little motocrosser without being spanked by the popo. Ted and Tom Whip would sometimes make it a little easier to meet up out to Kincaid track in those days and repair the bike in their basement out by Dimond High School when those times came that you zigged when you should’ve zagged.
Anchorage was a different place in the 1970’s.. Very different.
In those years Barry looked like someone might’ve left an Easy Rider’s magazine open on the counter and Barry had popped off of one of the pages. He treated this kid fair and I will remember him well.
Condolences to his family.
My good friend just had his 1st stroke , he is fully vaxed . Was Barry vaxed ?
a side effect of the CCCP , WHO ,and CDC VAX are strokes., blood clots , { clot shot } and heart inflammation
RIP Barry,
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