Jimmy Matthews

Video Memories of Judge Jimmy MatthewsJudge James Edward "Jimmy" Matthews, Jr., 76, retired General Sessions Judge for Maury County and resident of Winding Way, died Thursday, January 27, 2005, at Maury Regional Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at 2:30 P.M. Saturday at West Seventh Street Church of Christ with Ted Burleson, Rev. Charles Blythe, and Judge Bobby Sands officiating. Burial will be in Rose Hill Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Friday from 3:00 - 8:00 p.m. at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home, Saturday from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon in the Maury County Courthouse Rotunda and after 1:30 p.m. Saturday at the church. Born October 22, 1928, the son of the late James Edward "Ed" Matthews, Sr. and Jim Kennedy Crews Matthews, he was the last infant to be born in the James K. Polk Home on West Seventh Street. He received his primary education at McDowell Elementary School, Whitthorne Junior High School, Columbia Military Academy, and Columbia Central High School. He started his work career at the age of nine working for the Crescent Amusement Company, owners and operators of the Princess and Lyric Theaters in Columbia, being an employee at the time many stage shows were being held at the Princess Theater, including the Columbia appearance of Gene Autry and members of the Grand Ole Opry. He entered the automobile business with his father, Ed Matthews, in 1940 having the Kaiser Frazier agency, Studebaker agency, and shared in a partnership with the late Roy Oglesby with the Pontiac agency. Jimmy Matthews was a partner with David and Julian Johnson from Pulaski in the ownership and general operation of the Huntsville Auto Auction in Huntsville, Alabama. Judge Matthews and the late Senator Riley R. Randall operated the Randall & Matthews Real Estate and Auction Sales here in Columbia and was well-known in the auction sale of country hams to his friends on numerous civic occasions. He was a former owner and operator of Columbia Amusement Company. Matthews was appointed to the General Sessions Bench in 1955 by the late Governor Frank G. Clement. He was the first lay judge (non-lawyer) to serve in this capacity and because of the change in the law will be the last lay judge to serve the General Sessions Court in Maury County. Judge Matthews served in the U. S. Army during the Korean War and had been long active in supporting our Veterans and Legion affairs. An avid sportsman, he helped to organize Little League football teams and was a twenty-five year member of TSSAA. He had been a longtime sponsor of the Judge Matthews Little League Baseball team and the PeeWee Football team. He was a promoter for the National Association of Professional Wrestlers, having wrestled himself with a tag team partner, former heavy-weight boxing champion of the world, Joe Lewis. Judge Matthews was a member of West Seventh Street Church of Christ, Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19, La Societe 40 & 8 Voiture 1394, and Columbia Elks Lodge. Judge Matthews was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Columbia Rotary Club and was a recipient of the Liberty Bell Award from the Maury County Bar Association. Survivors include his wife of fifty years, Mary Jane Hammond Matthews of Columbia; two sons, Richard (Donna) Matthews of Columbia; Jim (Teresa) Matthews of Columbia; four grandchildren, Holland Matthews, Elise Matthews, Katie Halsey, and Carmen Tanner. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Belinda Ann Matthews in 1996; and his brother, Thomas Bruce Matthews in 1982. Pallbearers will be Judge Jim T. Hamilton, Judge Bobby Holloway, Judge Stella Hargrove, Judge Bob Jones, Judge George Lovell, Judge Lee Bailey, Judge Bobby Sands, William English, Tim Napier, Walter B. Harlan, Rick Webster, Drake Stanfill, Mike Webster, Jeff Knox, Dan West, Judge Frank Clement, Bobby Potts, Jeff Potts, and Vince Vinson. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the 7th District of Tennessee Highway Patrol, members of Columbia City Police Department, members of Maury County Sheriff's Department, members of Fraternal Order of Police, members of Columbia Elks Lodge #686, members of West Seventh Street Church of Christ, members of Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, and members of the Maury County Bar Association.