Lamar was born to Helen Turner Matthews and Dr. A. Lamar Matthews in Sarasota in 1939, and raised in Bradenton. He was proud of the lifelong relationships built in Manatee County as a Turner family cousin, boy scout, trombone player, and tenor vocalist.
He graduated from Manatee High School and completed a bachelor’s degree at Stetson University. During a Washington semester at American University, he was introduced to law and politics which prompted a subsequent internship with U.S. Representative James Haley. He completed his law degree at the University of Florida College of Law where he met his wife, Janet Snyder, an Ohio native who was working as a guidance counselor at the University of Florida, in Gainesville’s First Baptist Church choir. Lamar launched his legal career at Dye and Dye Associates in Bradenton where he was mentored by Dewey A. Dye, Senior, and Florida State Senator Edgar H. Price – a relationship that lasted many years. In 1969, Lamar and his young family moved to Sarasota to establish the litigation department at the law firm of Williams, Parker. In 1991, he founded Matthews, Hutton, and Eastmoore Attorneys at Law (now known as Eastmoore, Crauwels, and DuBose).
Lamar was a widely-respected litigator whose accomplishments included serving as General Counsel to Governor Bob Graham during a critical time when the Sunshine Skyway Bridge collapsed, the Mariel Boat Lift occurred, and civil unrest in Liberty City presaged modern-day Black Lives Matter movements. He led the Young Lawyers Section and later served on both the Board of Governors and the Board of Bar Examiners for the Florida Bar. In 2014, he was selected as one of 10 “Legal Legends” among lawyers and judges in Sarasota by the 12th Judicial Circuit Judges. He joyfully mentored and supported women and other minoritized groups to leadership positions in law and leveraged his influence to advocate for equity, justice, and positive change. He passionately advocated for Democratic Party candidates locally and nationally.
He was loved and renowned for his music (a trombone player, tenor vocalist, and ardent listener), sense of humor, and as a vibrant contributor to civic, community, and family life. Some of his many contributions included anchoring the Jerry Lewis Labor Day Telethon for Muscular Dystrophy, and serving on the Board of Directors for the Florida West Coast Symphony Orchestra, American Lung Association, Sarasota United Way, and the Sarasota County Library Foundation. He was a supportive, loving, and fun spouse, parent, and grandparent, and friend to many; he relished American history, political satire, biography, fishing, SEC sports, card games, board games, and having fun.
He passed from this life on March 4, 2022 surrounded by loved ones at home. He was predeceased by his parents (Dr. Matthews was one of Sarasota’s first physicians, caring for members of the Ringling Brothers Circus community which led to long-standing friendships with John Ringling North and Henry Ringling North) and his brother, Turner Matthews. He lives on in the memories of his wife, Janet Snyder Matthews, brother, Jamie Matthews, daughters Lynn Turner Matthews (son-in-law Matthew Ehrlich, grandchildren Jane and Lucy), Kay Matthews, and Maryan (Matthews) McDonald (son-in-law Bill McDonald, grandchildren Anna, Kathleen, and Alexander) and many extended friends and family.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at First Presbyterian Church, 2050 Oak St, Sarasota, FL 34237, on Saturday, March 26, 2022 at 10 am.
Memorial donations may be made to the Community Foundation of Sarasota County to benefit the A. Lamar Matthews, Jr. Memorial Fund to support underrepresented minorities in law.
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