Obituary of James Matthews

James Ennis "Jim" Matthews, 87, of Raleigh, died Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at Rex Hospital.

Funeral Service will be held at 2 p.m. Friday at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 8304 Leesville Road. Interment with Military Honors and Masonic Rites will follow at Montlawn Memorial Park.

The family will receive friends at the church one hour prior to the service.

James was born to the late Arren Matthews and Sally Ennis Matthews on November 24, 1921 in Angier, North Carolina. He was the seventh child of a family of eight children and the last survivor. He was predeceased by one sister, Mildred Matthews, and six brothers, Ollie Matthews, Gerald Matthews, Clarence Matthews, Eugene Matthews, Woodrow Matthews, and Lewis Matthews.

After graduating from Angier High School, he enlisted in the U. S. Army Air Corps during World War II and was honorable discharged in 1945. During the air corps, he served as a radio control tower operator for several military airports. Returning after the war to his home in Harnett County, he met and married the love of his life, Audrey Hayes of Erwin, on February 22, 1947. He began his career in the insurance business in Dunn with Southern Life and shortly after moved to Goldsboro with Reserve Life of Dallas. In 1952 he moved to Raleigh to serve as State Manager of George Washington Life Insurance Company. He had offices in Charlotte, Wilmington, Rocky Mount, and Winston-Salem. During the 1960s, he began the Carolina Hospital Service Agency in the present-day post office building in Cameron Village and later worked as a life insurance agent with Life of Virginia until his retirement in 1987.

James was a proud member of the Cary Masonic Lodge #198 AF & AM since 1974 as well as a Shriner since 1976 where he served as President of the Cary Shrine Club in 1990. He enjoyed the service opportunities of these organizations where he made timely contributions as well as many friends. As a member of Tabernacle Baptist Church, he enjoyed the fellowship and meaningful services each week which continued to strengthen his faith and love of God.

After a loving marriage of 61 years, his wife, Audrey, passed away last May, 2008. He is survived by their two children - Grant Matthews of Raleigh and Mrs. Sharon Rooney of Bonita Springs, Florida and Erie, Pennsylvania and her family - husband, Shawn (Sean) Rooney, and their two children - son Shane Rooney, Esq. and his wife, Teri of Camp Hill, Pa. and their daughter, Ava who is Mr. Matthews only great-grandchild who he met on Palm Sunday weekend and Sharon and Shawn's daughter, Audra Rooney, of Washington, D. C. He is also survived by many nieces and nephews, cousins, and in-laws as well as good friends and neighbors.

As a loving husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather as well as a community volunteer, he so loved people and could talk with anyone and enjoyed sharing life stories. As a child of a farmer, he continued the tradition with a small vegetable garden each summer until his later years. Taking automobile trips with his family to visit relatives out of town and summer vacations at the ocean were sources of contentment and showed his values of the importance of family. A loving family, good friends, and love of God completed his life as well as being a proud North Carolina gentleman.

The family would like to express their sincere appreciation to the staff at Raleigh Rehab and Healthcare Center for helping care for Mr. Matthews during this last year as well as the ICU staff at Rex Hospital during his last days. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in his name to the memorial gardens at Tabernacle Baptist Church, 8304 Leesville Road, Raleigh, N. C. 27613.

Arrangements by Montlawn Funeral Home, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, N.C. 27603 (www.montlawn.com)