суббота, 29 сентября 2012 г.

OBIT - MATTHEWS, WILLIAM BOYDEN JR. - The Roanoke Times (Roanoke, VA)

William Boyden Matthews Jr., 73, died at his home in Blacksburg,Virginia, on Monday, October 6, 2008. A native of Patrick County,Virginia, he was born on December 20, 1934, in Claudville, and wasthe son of the late William Boyden Matthews Sr. and Dora WatsonMatthews.A standout athlete in both baseball and basketball, hegraduated valedictorian of the class of 1952 at Blue Ridge HighSchool in Ararat, Virginia. While a student, he was very active inthe Future Farmers of America, and his many projects includedpoultry, beef and dairy cattle as well as tobacco, corn and alfalfa.He participated in FFA public speaking competitions, winning severalcontests. In 1952 he was a member of the FFA Dairy Judging Team,representing the state of Virginia at the national competition inWaterloo, Iowa, where he was awarded a 'golden emblem.' That sameyear he was named the 'The Virginia State Star Farmer,' based on hisrecord in farming, leadership and scholarship. In 1953 he receivedFFAs highest degree, that of 'American Farmer,' at the 25th AnnualNational Convention of FFA in Kansas City, Missouri.In the fall of1952 he enrolled as a freshman at his beloved Virginia PolytechnicInstitute in Blacksburg and remained a part of the Hokie Nation forthe rest of his life. His first two years at Tech were on anacademic scholarship, and he completed his undergraduate work withan athletic scholarship in basketball. He became a four-year starteron the basketball team, setting school records in scoring andrebounding. He served three consecutive years as captain of thebasketball team and was voted to the All-State and All-SouthernConference teams. In his senior year he was named Virginias statebasketball player of the year.Mr. Matthews majored in agriculturaleducation at Tech and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK)leadership fraternity and the Phi Kappa Phi academic fraternity. In1956 he graduated with a bachelor of science degree.In that sameyear, he began what would be a lifetime commitment to Virginia Techby accepting a position as a graduate assistant coach on thebasketball team while pursuing a masters degree in animal nutritionunder a research fellowship from the university. At the end of 1956,he accepted an offer to become Virginia Techs first full-timeassistant mens basketball coach under head coach Chuck Noe.Following the departure of Coach Noe in 1962, Mr. Matthews was namedhead coach. In his first game as the Hokie head coach, the teamdefeated the University of Kentucky on their home court inLexington. It marked the only time in the legendary career ofWildcats Coach Adolph Rupp that one of his teams lost a home opener.In 1964 he became the assistant athletic director, and in 1974 hewas named Associate Athletic Director. At various times his dutiesincluded coaching freshman baseball and the golf team (hesuccessfully coached golf for 11 years) as well as overseeingoperations for the athletic department. In his later years he becamea full-time real estate agent and developer in partnership with hisson at University Realty, Blacksburg.Following the death of hismother, Mr. Matthews moved his church membership from Unity Churchin Claudville to Blacksburg Baptist Church, where he had attendedsince 1952.In September 1993 he was honored with induction into theVirginia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. Although he chose athletics fora career, he never lost his love of farming. He kept a herd of beefcattle until health issues forced him to phase out that activity.Work on the farm was always a pleasure and a refuge from stress in ademanding business world.In addition to his parents, he was alsopreceded in death by his double first cousin, who was reared as hissister, Maydee Watson Mitchell.Surviving are his wife of 55 years,Helen Anderson Matthews, Blacksburg; one daughter, Jane MatthewsJones and her husband, Charles Morgan Jones, Blacksburg; three sons,William Phillip Matthews, Timothy Dale Matthews and his wife. LondaEvans Matthews, Blacksburg, Eric Samuel Matthews and his wife, AlexaHendley Matthews, Dunkirk, Maryland; six grandchildren, WilliamPierce Matthews, Katherine Frances Matthews, Morgan Ross Jones,Mallory Jayne Jones, Blacksburg, Griffin Paul Matthews and ElliotJames Matthews, Dunkirk, Maryland; one double first cousin/sister,Georgie Watson Anderson, Claudville, Virginia.The funeral serviceswill held 2 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2008, at Blacksburg BaptistChurch with Dr. Tommy McDearis and Dr. Don McKinney officiating.Interment will follow at the Memorial Gardens of New RiverValley.The family will receive friends at McCoy Funeral Home from 6to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.In lieu of flowers,donations may be made to Blacksburg Baptist Churchs CapitalCampaign, 550 North Main Street, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060.

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