NANCY MATTHEWS

Nancy Henneberger Matthews  
dECEMBER 24, 1927 - jANUARY 7, 2022  Nancy Matthews, wife of a diplomat and ardent supporter of the arts in Washington and Montana, passed away on Friday January 7 in Missoula, MT due to complications from a hip injury. Born Nancy Noel Henneberger December 24, 1927, in Chambersburg, PA, she was raised in Caldwell, NJ and graduated from Connecticut College in 1949. She married Harrison Freeman Matthews, Jr "Free" in 1950. Free joined the US Foreign Service in 1952, and over the ensuing 33 years they served in Italy, Switzerland, Spain, Mexico, and Egypt, and Washington, DC. In 1983, Nancy joined the staff of Meridian International Center in Washington, DC, a nonprofit diplomacy center. In 1992 she was appointed Vice President for Arts and Communication. At Meridian she organized major exhibitions from many countries, including Vietnam, South Africa, Iran and China. After the death of Freeman in 2006 and her retirement from Meridian in 2008, Nancy re-located to Missoula, Montana, where she quickly immersed herself in the arts and international exchange communities. In recognition of Nancy's many contributions to Montana's art and culture, the Montana World Affairs Council awarded her the 2020 Cultural Ambassador Award.  Nancy was gregarious by nature, and loved music, art, dogs, and entertaining. She is survived by her sons John Matthews of Irigny, France; Timothy Matthews of Leonardtown, MD; and daughter Elizabeth Johns of Missoula; 10 grandchildren and a great-grandson. Her son Freeman Luke Matthews predeceased Nancy in 2007.  There will be a Celebration of Life gathering at the Dana Gallery, 246 N Higgins Ave. in Missoula, MT on January 29 from 2 to 4 p.m. There will also be an interment at St John's Episcopal Church in Washington, DC sometime in the Spring.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to Meridian International (meridian.org).