Betty Lynn Matthews

On December 1st, 2019, Betty Matthews Matthews, a loving and caring mother of two children, passed away at the age of 76.

She was born in Lemon Springs, NC on May 8th, 1943 to Edith Wilson Matthews and Thomas Lynn Matthews. Her grandparents were Thomas Ford and Bessie Matthews and Earnest and Bertha Wilson. She graduated from Greenwood High School in 1961 and attended East Carolina University before transferring to Rex School of Nursing, where she was a member of the 1965 graduating class. She married Skip Matthews in 1965. They were married for 39 years and had two children, Charlotte and Rock Matthews. Betty was a long-time resident of Durham, NC, where she raised her family. She later moved to Wake Forest, NC to be closer to family. Over the last decade of her life, Betty split time between Wake Forest and Myrtle Beach, where she was a member of First Presbyterian Church of Myrtle Beach along with her partner Roy Bishop.

Betty was a wonderful mother, Nana B and friend to many. She had a love for the beach, where she enjoyed many family vacations as well as class reunion trips with her friends from Rex nursing school. She was an excellent cook who was known for sharing her deep-dish cherry pies and chicken and dumplings. During her time in Durham, she was a part of a bridge club for over 40 years, building many lifelong friendships. Lastly, she should be known for the courage she displayed in fighting the unrelenting disease of Scleroderma.

Betty was preceded in death by her parents and brother, Thomas Wilson Matthews. She is survived by her children Charlotte (Allen) Jenkins of Wake Forest, NC and Rock (Sylvia) Matthews of Wilmington, NC, by her grandchildren Reed Jenkins, Lauren Jenkins, Cole Jenkins, Clara Matthews and Haze Matthews and by her loving partner Roy Bishop of Myrtle Beach, SC, along with many other family members and friends.

A memorial service will be held at Lemon Springs United Methodist Church in Lemon Springs, NC, Saturday December 14th at 12:30 pm. The family will greet friends following the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105; Lemon Springs Methodist Church, PO Box 129, Lemon Springs, NC 28355; Scleroderma Foundation,  300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105, Danvers, MA 01923; or a charity of choice.