Barbara Wallace "Bobbie" Matheny

The final chapter in the life of Barbara “Bobbie” Wallace Matheny (at the age of 92) was completed on May 12, 2023.

She is survived by three children (Nealie (Kevin), Gaines and Scott), nine grandchildren (Tracie (Dave), Marshall (Zoie), Ashlea (Megan), Cameron, Graham, Dawn (Jeff), Amanda, Christy (Lisa) and Lindsay) and nine great grandchildren (Chandler, Chloe, David, Ellie, Hanah, Damon, Jacob, Austin and Ayden) and two great great grandchildren (Liam and Mace).

Bobbie was born in Staunton, Virginia. She attended grade school and high school in Waynesboro, Virginia. She also attended college at Richmond Polytechnic Institute (RPI, now Virginia Commonwealth University).

Bobbie met her husband, Russell (“Woots”), while attending high school. He had returned to continue his education after World War II. After college, Bobbie began her career as a fashion Illustrator at the News Virginian Newspaper. But life had other plans for her.

They were married in Charlottesville at the University of Virginia Chapel on December 31, 1951. As her husband's career at Billups and Gate Petroleum grew, they decided to settle in Jacksonville, Florida. Bobbie decided to close the book on her career to devote her life to her family. And the family started to grow. She became the matriarch for her growing family.

Bobbie undertook the responsibility of educating her children and subsequent members of her family as she shared their joys and pains, triumphs and setbacks as well as their dreams and accomplishments. She was always there for everyone with compassion and understanding. She always had words of encouragement and never words of disparagement.

Bobbie was 72 percent Scottish and a descendant of a long line of notable people. She can trace her lineage to the likes of Sir William “Braveheart” Wallace (her 19th Great Grand Uncle, and William A. A. “Bigfoot” Wallace (her Great Grand Uncle) who was instrumental in Texas' fight for freedom from Mexico, an early law enforcement officer for what became the Texas Rangers and one of the earliest riders for the pony express. Her ancestors came to Virginia in the late 1600s. Her parents were chosen to participate in secret strategic projects during World War II. Her husband served in World War II with the teams that helped establish beachheads in the Pacific Theater of War in the effort to liberate lands that had been annexed by Japan. These and other members helped Bobbie develop her keen abilities that formed the basis of her kind and nurturing ways and offers of non-judgmental guidance and teaching which she always made available to anyone who needed a companion and a mentor. Except for her immediate family, she was the last of her family tree to pass.

Bobbie was a breast cancer survivor of over 40 years. She had the utmost confidence in her physician and the healing process. She never let the fact that she had cancer slow her down or get in the way of accomplishing the things that she wanted to do. She never let the cancer cause her to feel sorry for herself. She merely felt that cancer was an obstacle in life’s journey that needed to be addressed and overcome.

Bobbie never met a stranger. Her neighbors became lifelong adored friends. Once she spoke with someone and shared stories about their lives, she became a wonderful caring friend. She enjoyed trips with her friends to Italy and trips back home to Virginia. So many of these friends have passed ahead of her and she missed them “terribly”. She spent many hours at Famous Amos, Bob Evans, Village Inn, Dunkin Doughnuts and the Ramada Inn Piano Bar chatting and making new friends, sharing stories of her family. She loved having her “mani/pedi” for years at Gentle Nails. Her children’s friends were like her children. The same was true of her grandchildren. Everyone considered her their “Maw Maw”.

Bobbie and the family asks that in lieu of flowers, they make a donation to their favorite charity in her name.