James "Jim" Oliver Matthews, Jr.

Our beloved Jim passed away peacefully to be with his Lord and Savior surrounded by his family on December 10th, 2024 at Forsyth Hospital in Winston-Salem, NC. He was 75 years old. He resided in Rural Hall, NC prior to his death.

Jim was born in Stokes County on June 13th, 1949 to James Oliver Matthews, Sr. and Nellie Mae Ayers Matthews. Jim married the love of his life, Jeanette Carol Robertson in Surry County. He attended high school in Pilot Mountain at East Surry High School, graduating in 1967. He achieved an associates degree at Surry Community College in Arts. He also attended college at Appalachian State University before being enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1970. He served in the Vietnam war after completing basic training and advanced infantry training. Jim not only achieved the rank of Sergeant (E-5) while in the military but received a Bronze Star Medal for heroic service and Silver Star Medal for heroism in combat. 

After returning home from the Army, Jim began working for a construction company. He attended night classes at Forsyth Technical College, studying blue print reading and measurement. In March of 1972 he began working at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Rural Hall. In 1975 he began working in the tool room making tooling for the production machines with mentor Bill Bowen. He attended training in St Louis, MO in Unigraphics. Jim retired in 2012, after 40 years of service. He also built his beautiful home himself in 1987.

Jim was a Sunday School Secretary at Mt Zion United Methodist Church in Pinnacle, NC for 25 years. He also served as chairman of the Building Committee for the new renovation of the church in 2004. Jim was also a member of the choir in Rural Hall at the Moravian church. 

Jim was a devout Christian and loyal husband to his wife Jeanette. He enjoyed watching old westerns, tinkering with machinery and reading the Bible and historical books. He also enjoyed going to the beach with his immediate family every year, celebrating birthdays and holidays. If a family member or friend needed anything, he was always there. He was also a great brother to his female siblings. Jim was a country boy through and through as he grew up on a tobacco and chicken farm at the foot of Pilot Mountain, NC. He was a very humble man. We will all miss him until we meet him again.

Surviving are Jim's wife, Jeanette (Robertson) Matthews; son, Chad Fox (Deborah); grandchildren, Jonathan (Judy), preceded in death by Jamie Gail. Preceded in death by parents James Oliver Matthews, Sr and Nellie Mae Ayers Matthews. Sisters, Carol Hutchens (Larry), Wanda Lee, Ann Chilton (Dale). Brother-in-law George Nieuwenhuis (Lois), plus many special nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Inurnment service will be held at 10am Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Eastlawn Gardens of Memory. A celebration of life service will be held at 11:30am at Rural Hall Moravian Church with Rev. Andrew Craver officiating. The family will receive friends following the service in the family life center.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Tunnel to Towers Foundation (t2t.org)