Raymond L. “Ray” Matthews, 81, of Enigma passed away Wednesday, December 12, 2018, at Tifton Health and Rehab. His funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 15, 2018, in the Chapel of Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals with the Rev. Terrell Roberts officiating. Mr. Matthews will be laid to rest at Tift Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Saturday, December 15, 2018, from 10:00 a.m. until the hour of the service at Bowen-Donaldson Home for Funerals.
Born April 8, 1937 in Sanford, North Carolina, Mr. Matthews was the son of the late Lewis Aron Matthews and Mary Spivey Matthews. He was also preceded in death by his wife, Annie “Lucile” Burgess Pate Matthews. Before retiring, he worked in the pest control business and was a member of Tift Avenue Baptist Church. He loved woodworking, fishing, singing gospel music and he loved Christmas time. He had been at Tifton Health and Rehab for four months from his residence in Enigma, where he had lived for 20 years.
Mr. Matthews is survived by two step-sons and their wives, Danny Lee and Jean Pate of Anderson, South Carolina and Tommy Randy Pate of Tifton; one step-daughter and her husband, Wanda and Larry Alexander of Anderson, South Carolina; two sons, Danny Matthews of Aubrey, Texas and Gene Matthews of Sanford, North Carolina; two daughters, Darlene Wallace and Deborah Maria, both of Sanford, North Carolina; one sister, Joan Gebbia and friend, David Byrd of Wilmington, North Carolina; two grandchildren, Jason Daniel Pate and Anna Pate Nichols and husband Mathew; and one great-granddaughter, Peyton Nichols.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Hospice of Tift Area, P. O. Box 747, Tifton, GA 31793.