James William Matthews

On the evening of January 22nd, 2022, just shy of his 98th birthday, James William Matthews passed away following a short illness. Jim was born on February 9th, 1924 in Hamlet, North Carolina to Melville Lee and Mildred Spencer Matthews. His father was an electrical engineer with Duke Power and they lived in both Carolinas. Jim and his brother and sister, Mel Jr. and Julia, were joined by another brother, Tom, when Jim as 15. After graduating from Dunn High School and a short time in junior college, Jim followed Mel Jr. into the United States Army Air Force, training ultimately to be a radar operator in the P-61 Black Widow nightfighter. World War II ended before he was deployed and he returned to North Carolina where he used the G.I. Bill to attend North Carolina State University in Raleigh. Graduating as an electrical engineer, he joined Ibasco International at their offices in Lower Manhattan. HIs job with them included time working on hydroelectric power plants in Chile. Upon his return he met a nurse, Alice Virginia “Pat” Briggs, in January 1951. By October they were married. Shortly after Jim’s job took them both to the Panama Canal Zone for about six months where he helped engineer the refitting of the Panama Canal. Back in New York, they settled on Staten Island where his two sons, Peter Kendig and Stephen Briggs, were born in 1955 and 1957, respectively. Following moves to Huntington Valley, PA, and Middleton, NJ, Jim took a job with Boeing Aerospace in Seattle in 1959 and spent several years on defense related projects such as the Minuteman missile program, SRAM, and the ALCM. Sadly, Jim lost Pat to cancer in 1973 and shortly after was laid off from Boeing. He endured a tough nine months of unemployment before being hired by Vitro Engineering in Richland, WA. In 1977 Boeing recalled him at full seniority and he moved to Seattle. It was during this time, he joined the South-End Singles and met Beverly Hansen Vining, and they quickly became close companions. They married in 1982 and settled in West Seattle and later Glen Acres near Burien, WA. Jim’s family grew to include Bev’s three grown sons, David, Murray, and Brian Vining, and their wives Patty, Marlene, and Terri. In the late ‘80s, Jim’s finished his career at Boeing Facilities whose work centered on conversion of various facilities to new production needs. He retired with about 30 years with Boeing but continued as a consultant for a couple years. Around this time, Jim and Bev bought a home in Sun City for seasonal use. With Bev’s retirement, they moved permanently to Sun City in the late-90s. They finally settled into a home on the shore of Dawn Lake. There, Jim and Bev lived an active life playing golf and bridge, entertaining friends, and traveling extensively. Sadly, in the mid 2000s, Bev also succumbed to cancer. After that Jim consoled himself by continuing to play golf and cards, reading voraciously, keeping company with friends, and enjoying family visits from Peter and Steve and their families. Time eventually reduced his circle of friends and activities. Jim lived well into his 90s, maintaining a quiet, peaceful, and simple life that reflected his quiet, peaceful, humble, and gentle personality. He played golf until a year ago, hitting straight and true, just not quite as far. Jim is survived by Peter and Terri and their daughters Sarah and Susie, and Steve and Julie, and their children Alicen and Chris, as well as Bev’s sons and their families. To all his friends and acquaintances, thank you for sharing your lives with him. Memorials in Jim’s name may be made to Hospice of the Valley or Sunshine Services of Sun City.