Matthews, Jr., James William
11/9/1997
| James William Matthews, Jr. was born at Flat Rock, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville on May 24, 1913. His father was Dr. J.W. Matthews, Sr., a prominent dentist, and his mother was Amy Huddleston. Bill attended Vanderbilt and graduated from Scaritt College in Nashville. He received his B.D. degree from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. After serving three years in Tennessee, he transferred to the Louisiana Annual Conference. During World War II he served as a Naval Chaplain. In Louisiana he served churches in Belcher, Gilliam, Pelican, Ponchatoula, Plaquemine and New Orleans. After retirement, Bill became Associate Minister at Broadmoor United Methodist Church in Shreveport where he served for ten years, and ministered especially to senior citizens and those in nursing homes. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Ruth Brown Matthews; one daughter, Amy and her husband, Jon Hall; two sons, James A. Matthews and his wife, Lynda, and Robert Matthews and his wife, Janette; one sister, Sally, and her husband, Joe Boyers, of Jacksonville, Florida; four grandchildren, Elizabeth May, Jon Hall, Carey Matthews and David Matthews; four sisters-in-law, Ellen Matthews, Sue Brown Dykes, Mary Virginia Brown and Neva Brown Salter; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews. Bill will be remembered as a caring minister who worked with the people of the churches to which he was appointed. He also was active in summer youth camps and served on several conference boards. St. Paul wrote to Timothy giving this advice (II Timothy 2:15) “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.” Bill was that kind of minister! |
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| Source: Journal Louisiana Conference 1998, p. 256 By Dr. Ed Thomas | |
