William Boyden Matthews Jr.

William Boyden Matthews Jr., 73, died at his home in Blacksburg, Virginia, on Monday, October 6, 2008. A native of Patrick County, Virginia, he was born on December 20, 1934, in Claudville, and was the son of the late William Boyden Matthews Sr. and Dora Watson Matthews. A standout athlete in both baseball and basketball, he graduated valedictorian of the class of 1952 at Blue Ridge High School in Ararat, Virginia. While a student, he was very active in the Future Farmers of America, and his many projects included poultry, beef and dairy cattle as well as tobacco, corn and alfalfa. He participated in FFA public speaking competitions, winning several contests. In 1952 he was a member of the FFA Dairy Judging Team, representing the state of Virginia at the national competition in Waterloo, Iowa, where he was awarded a "golden emblem." That same year he was named the "The Virginia State Star Farmer," based on his record in farming, leadership and scholarship. In 1953 he received FFA's highest degree, that of "American Farmer," at the 25th Annual National Convention of FFA in Kansas City, Missouri.
In the fall of 1952 he enrolled as a freshman at his beloved Virginia Polytechnic Institute in Blacksburg and remained a part of the Hokie Nation for the rest of his life. His first two years at Tech were on an academic scholarship, and he completed his undergraduate work with an athletic scholarship in basketball. He became a four-year starter on the basketball team, setting school records in scoring and rebounding. He served three consecutive years as captain of the basketball team and was voted to the All-State and All-Southern Conference teams. In his senior year he was named Virginia's state basketball player of the year.
Mr. Matthews majored in agricultural education at Tech and was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) leadership fraternity and the Phi Kappa Phi academic fraternity. In 1956 he graduated with a bachelor of science degree.
In that same year, he began what would be a lifetime commitment to Virginia Tech by accepting a position as a graduate assistant coach on the basketball team while pursuing a master's degree in animal nutrition under a research fellowship from the university.
At the end of 1956, he accepted an offer to become Virginia Tech's first full-time assistant men's basketball coach under head coach Chuck Noe. Following the departure of Coach Noe in 1962, Mr. Matthews was named head coach. In his first game as the Hokie head coach, the team defeated the University of Kentucky on their home court in Lexington. It marked the only time in the legendary career of Wildcats Coach Adolph Rupp that one of his teams lost a home opener.
In 1964 he became the assistant athletic director, and in 1974 he was named Associate Athletic Director. At various times his duties included coaching freshman baseball and the golf team (he successfully coached golf for 11 years) as well as overseeing operations for the athletic department.
In his later years he became a full-time real estate agent and developer in partnership with his son at University Realty, Blacksburg.
Following the death of his mother, Mr. Matthews moved his church membership from Unity Church in Claudville to Blacksburg Baptist Church, where he had attended since 1952.
In September 1993 he was honored with induction into the Virginia Tech Athletic Hall of Fame. Although he chose athletics for a career, he never lost his love of farming. He kept a herd of beef cattle until health issues forced him to phase out that activity. Work on the farm was always a pleasure and a refuge from stress in a demanding business world.
In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his double first cousin, who was reared as his sister, Maydee Watson Mitchell.
Surviving are his wife of 55 years, Helen Anderson Matthews, Blacksburg; one daughter, Jane Matthews Jones and her husband, Charles Morgan Jones, Blacksburg; three sons, William Phillip Matthews, Timothy Dale Matthews and his wife. Londa Evans Matthews, Blacksburg, Eric Samuel Matthews and his wife, Alexa Hendley Matthews, Dunkirk, Maryland; six grandchildren, William Pierce Matthews, Katherine Frances Matthews, Morgan Ross Jones, Mallory Jayne Jones, Blacksburg, Griffin Paul Matthews and Elliot James Matthews, Dunkirk, Maryland; one double first cousin/sister, Georgie Watson Anderson, Claudville, Virginia.
The funeral services will held 2 p.m. Thursday, October 9, 2008, at Blacksburg Baptist Church with Dr. Tommy McDearis and Dr. Don McKinney officiating. Interment will follow at the Memorial Gardens of New River Valley.
The family will receive friends at McCoy Funeral Home from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, October 8, 2008.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Blacksburg Baptist Church's Capital Campaign, 550 North Main Street, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060.