William David Matthews

Bill was born in Rowan County, N.C. February 23, 1930, the son of Clyde and Mary Matthews (Blackwelder). He grew up in Rockwell and graduated from Rockwell High School in the class of 1947. Upon graduation, he joined the Navy and served one year aboard the USS Marsh and four years aboard the destroyer USS Frank Knox with duty in the Pacific. During the first year of the Korean War his ship operated with an aircraft carrier task force and participated in the Korean Incheon Invasion.

Bill attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, graduating with honors in the class of 1957 with a BS Degree in Business Administration. He was employed by Carnation Company, and the last nine years of his eighteen-year long career was spent in the Los Angeles Headquarters Office as the General Sales Manager of the Eastern Division. In 1975, he resigned to become co-owner of Advantage Sales Food Brokerage Firm in Birmingham serving as President and Chairman of the Board. He retired in 2000. He was a member of Briarwood Presbyterian Church.

Bill is survived by his wife of 72 years, Barbara; children, William David Matthews, Jr. (Cynthia); and Martha Ann Dobnikar (Roger); three grandsons, Anthony David Michel (Erica), Matthew Christopher Michel (Taylor), and Roger Paul Dobnikar, Jr. (Kathryn); Six great-grandchildren, Anthony David Michel Jr., Kate Dianne Michel, Langston Wade Michel, Isabel Rose Michel, William David Michel, and Katie Mae Dobnikar as well as his adopted grandson Nicholas Michel (Nikkia) and great-grandchildren Loralie Melissa Michel and Lincoln Quentin Michel; sister Sara Lou Meike (Charles) of Clearwater, FL. He was preceded in death by his sisters Hazel Margie Matthews and Nora Moose and brother Luther Harold Matthews.

A funeral service will be held on Wednesday, September 3rd at 2:00 p.m. at the Alabama National Veterans Cemetery in Montevallo, where Bill will be laid to rest with full military honors. The service will be conducted by Rev. Jim Alexander of Briarwood Presbyterian Church.

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars or Briarwood Presbyterian Church in Bill’s memory.