Sharon Matthews

Monday, January 14, 2019
Sharon Matthews

CLOVIS, N.M. — Sharon Lee Matthews passed away at her home Jan. 9, 2019, in Clovis at the age of 80 years. She was lovingly surrounded by her family.

Sharon was born Aug. 24, 1938, in Wyandotte, Mich., to William Robert and Madeline (Faigle) Bond. Upon graduation from high school she attended college at Murray State, studying nursing.

Along came John Matthews and whisked her off her feet and the two of them became one on July 26, 1957. They were married for 51 years and were very proud of their two children, Dena and Thomas and their accomplishments. John and Sharon served in churches in Missouri, Kentucky, Texas and Clovis, where John was on staff as the youth minister. Sharon always helped John in his work and served with him in any capacity he needed. She was a member of Central Baptist Church for 51 years. Sharon served on various committees in the church and helped with Grief Share. In earlier years, she taught Sunday school classes in the children’s area and sang in the choir.

Her extensive career in banking kept her very busy, starting out as a bookkeeper in 1970. From there she worked in many areas of the bank before settling in the personnel department and gaining officer status in 1977. She then became a vice president in 1983. Sharon managed the marketing, personnel, training, payroll, merchant service and bookkeeping departments simultaneously during the mid-1990s and earned the status of banking center manager before her retirement in July 1999.

After 29 years, she retired from banking, leaving behind an outstanding list of accomplishments. She was the 1998 winner of the Nations Bank LEND Award (Leadership Excellence in Neighborhood Development) and served as a board member of the Senior Olympics and American Heart Association. In her role as manager of the marketing department she was active in the NM Music Educators Annual Program, Adopt A School Program and Outstanding Teacher Program to name a few. Sharon was also a member of the National Association of Banking Women and American Business Women’s Association. She loved to travel and started the Sun Select Travel Club which was enjoyed by all who participated enabling members to tour with a group of people, led by Sharon as director, to places such as Australia and Alaska.

Sharon and her husband John also traveled together around the world, meeting new friends and creating memories wherever they would go.

Preceding her in death and welcoming her into heaven was her loving husband, John Andrew Matthews; her parents, Robert and Madeline Bond; father- and mother-in-law, Ben and Jenny Matthews; sister-in-law, Helen Matthews and brother-in-law, Lee Matthews; also numerous uncles and aunts.

Surviving their mother is a daughter, Dena Blackwell and her husband, Doc, of Fort Worth, Texas; and a son, Thomas Matthews of Edinburg, Texas; one grandson, Matthew Blackwell of Fort Worth; brother-in-law, Don Matthews of Sikeston, Mo.; sister-in-law, Lillian Matthews of Sikeston; and lots of good friends who will all miss her and remember her for all the joys and sorrows shared together.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, from 1 p.m. until time of funeral service at 2 p.m. at Nunnelee Funeral Chapel in Sikeston with Jim Matthews, pastor of Cape County Cowboy Church, officiating.

Burial will follow in the Garden of Memories Cemetery at Sikeston.

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Memorial contributions may be donated to the New Mexico Baptist Children’s Home, Box 629, Portales, NM 88130.

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