Obituary for James Hal Matthews
James "Hal" Matthews went peacefully to be with the Lord on November 14, 2020. Hal was born, September 5, 1951 in Hampton, Virginia, to Thomas Luther Matthews and Hallie Cobb Matthews. He graduated from Hampton High School in 1969, and received a bachelor's degree in business finance from Virginia Tech in 1973. After graduation from VA Tech, he married his high school sweetheart, Peggy. They started their life together in Richmond, Virginia, where he was employed with Travelers Insurance for 12 years. Hal was also employed by HRH Insurance before starting his own insurance agency with Farmers Insurance. Hal was dedicated to helping people and loved the insurance field. He received many achievements, awards and was the top Farmers Agent in the state of Virginia for several years. He retired after 25 years of service when he was diagnosed with frontal lobe dementia in 2018.
Hal loved his family and worked very hard to give them the best life he could. Hal and his wife Peggy met in the 8th grade, dated for 7 years, were married 47 years, and were together for a total of 54 years. He loved his daughters, Sara and Shelley, and was very proud of everything they did. He enjoyed teaching his girls basketball, as well as many other sports, and attending their games and special life events. He was very proud of the independent women they became. He also loved his grandsons and attending their sporting events as well (swimming, basketball, soccer and wrestling). As a dad and a grandfather he was always very playful and loved putting a smile on his daughters' and grandson's faces. He was also blessed to maintain many friendships as far back as childhood.
One of Hal's favorite hobbies was playing golf. He loved taking his friends to Sea Scape in the Outer Banks to play golf each Summer and Fall. Sports in general were a great passion of Hal's. He played little league baseball, was a track star in high school, played in basketball and tennis leagues and continued running throughout his life. He was actually known as "bat man" around the neighborhood because he ran with a baseball bat to protect him from dogs. Hal loved watching movies, rating them and would send out a list of his top 11 films for the year. Being a Virginia Tech alumnus, he was an avid Hokie fan, especially VT Football, and he loved going to games with his wife and friends, Tim, Ann, Rob and Rita. He loved all kinds of music, especially 60's rock, and in his later years he loved to dance, even performing hilarious routines at events and parties.
Hal is survived by his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Matthews, daughter Sara Brola, son-in-law Adam Brola, daughter Shelley Matthews, and three grandsons: Andrew, Rocco and Ian Brola. He is also survived by his brother Kenneth C Matthews, wife Sandy, five nieces and nephews: Carrie, Lindsay, Reid, Toby and Bart; brother-in-law Paul Daley, wife Lisa and nieces and nephews: Joseph, Catherine and Bethany. He was preceded in death by his brother Thomas L Matthews Jr. and niece Christy Daley.
We are so thankful to our friends and family who supported Hal after his diagnosis of dementia. Taking him to play golf, going to movies, out to dinner and just coming over and visiting with him meant more to him and our family than you will ever know. Skip and Kay Sayers, Tim and Ann Fisher, Rob and Rita Ferguson, Darryl Willet, Pete Webb, Ken and Sandy Matthews, Fritz Block, , Pastor Dalton Stoltz and our church family at Liberty Live Church at Greenbrier, and anyone else that we may have missed, we are eternally grateful and love you all. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association or to Liberty Live Church at Greenbrier where James was an active member.
Family is welcoming friends to celebrate his life on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00am at Graham Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1112 Kempsville Rd., Chesapeake, VA 23320.
Hal loved his family and worked very hard to give them the best life he could. Hal and his wife Peggy met in the 8th grade, dated for 7 years, were married 47 years, and were together for a total of 54 years. He loved his daughters, Sara and Shelley, and was very proud of everything they did. He enjoyed teaching his girls basketball, as well as many other sports, and attending their games and special life events. He was very proud of the independent women they became. He also loved his grandsons and attending their sporting events as well (swimming, basketball, soccer and wrestling). As a dad and a grandfather he was always very playful and loved putting a smile on his daughters' and grandson's faces. He was also blessed to maintain many friendships as far back as childhood.
One of Hal's favorite hobbies was playing golf. He loved taking his friends to Sea Scape in the Outer Banks to play golf each Summer and Fall. Sports in general were a great passion of Hal's. He played little league baseball, was a track star in high school, played in basketball and tennis leagues and continued running throughout his life. He was actually known as "bat man" around the neighborhood because he ran with a baseball bat to protect him from dogs. Hal loved watching movies, rating them and would send out a list of his top 11 films for the year. Being a Virginia Tech alumnus, he was an avid Hokie fan, especially VT Football, and he loved going to games with his wife and friends, Tim, Ann, Rob and Rita. He loved all kinds of music, especially 60's rock, and in his later years he loved to dance, even performing hilarious routines at events and parties.
Hal is survived by his wife, Margaret "Peggy" Matthews, daughter Sara Brola, son-in-law Adam Brola, daughter Shelley Matthews, and three grandsons: Andrew, Rocco and Ian Brola. He is also survived by his brother Kenneth C Matthews, wife Sandy, five nieces and nephews: Carrie, Lindsay, Reid, Toby and Bart; brother-in-law Paul Daley, wife Lisa and nieces and nephews: Joseph, Catherine and Bethany. He was preceded in death by his brother Thomas L Matthews Jr. and niece Christy Daley.
We are so thankful to our friends and family who supported Hal after his diagnosis of dementia. Taking him to play golf, going to movies, out to dinner and just coming over and visiting with him meant more to him and our family than you will ever know. Skip and Kay Sayers, Tim and Ann Fisher, Rob and Rita Ferguson, Darryl Willet, Pete Webb, Ken and Sandy Matthews, Fritz Block, , Pastor Dalton Stoltz and our church family at Liberty Live Church at Greenbrier, and anyone else that we may have missed, we are eternally grateful and love you all. In lieu of flowers please make a donation to the Alzheimer's Association or to Liberty Live Church at Greenbrier where James was an active member.
Family is welcoming friends to celebrate his life on Monday, December 21, 2020 at 11:00am at Graham Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 1112 Kempsville Rd., Chesapeake, VA 23320.