Alice "Betty" W. Matthews, 88, of Mechanicsville, passed away on Thursday, December 12, 2019. She was the widow of Rev. Dr. Henry M. Matthews Sr., with whom she shared 40 of his 50 years of service in ministerial and administrative positions in the Georgia, Virginia and Southeastern Jurisdictional Conferences of the United Methodist Church. Betty was a 1953 graduate of Westhampton College of the University of Richmond. She taught elementary school in Chesterfield County and served as the Director of Christian Education of First United Methodist Church in Gainesville, Ga. Betty worked as a social worker in Chesterfield and Southampton Counties. In 1970, she began employment with the County of Henrico Department of Social Services, providing casework supervision, administration and community resource development for 30 years. Betty received state awards in 1993 and 2002. Left to cherish her memory are her children, Henry “Hank” M. Matthews Jr. (Tara), Melodie Matthews Bobko; grandchildren, Melanie Martinez (Richard), Lindsey Matthews (Kyle), Rebecca Matthews, Annabelle Matthews, Henry Matthews III, Jacob Bobko, Luke Bobko and Stephen Bobko. The family will receive friends at Woody Funeral Home, 9271 Shady Grove Rd., Mechanicsville, Va. 23116, on Sunday, December 15, from 2 to 5 p.m. and on Monday, December 16, from 6 to 8 p.m. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, December 17, at Shady Grove United Methodist Church, 8209 Shady Grove Rd., Mechanicsville, Va. 23111. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Mechanicsville Churches Emergency Functions (MCEF) Senior Rides program.
