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A former Central York Middle School band director and music teacher was killed in a body surfing accident Thursday in New Jersey.

Ken Matthews, 73, was body surfing just after 6 p.m. when witnesses said he was caught in a large wave and struck his head, according to a report on 6abc.com.

The Avalon Beach Patrol was off duty at the time of the incident, but Avalon police, rescue and beach patrol responded to the scene for a possible drowning.

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Matthews was pulled from the water by bystanders and emergency personnel who administered CPR, police told 6abc. He was pronounced dead at Cape Regional Medical Center in Cape May Court House.

Matthews’ death was announced on the Central York Middle School Fife and Drum Facebook page Friday afternoon. Matthews began the popular fife and drum corps in 1971 when the school was North Hills Jr. High School, and was helping to plan for a 50th reunion in the 2021-22 school year.

“He was a visionary starting a fife and drum corps in a public school in 1971, and even he didn’t think it would catch on and continue as it has through today,” the Facebook message reads. “Even though he retired in 2003, he was never far from the fifes and drums, sometimes showing up at summer rehearsals just to stop by.”

This story will be updated.

Shelly Stallsmith is a trends reporter for the York Daily Record. She can be reached at mstallsmith@ydr.com or followed on Twitter at @ShelStallsmith.

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