John DeLeon Matthews, III, went to be with his Savior, Jesus Christ, on April 6, 2022. He had a servant's heart and touched the lives of his family and community. John was born on February 10, 1956, in Columbia, SC, to the late John D. Matthews, Jr. and Rosalyn Lee Matthews. He is survived by his wife, Eugenia Frame Matthews, sons Ralph Frame Matthews (Sara) and John David Matthews (Rachel), mother Rosalyn Matthews, beloved uncle, Robert E. Lee, Jr., brother Robert Lee Matthews, sister Lynn Matthews Steckel, and three grandchildren, Helen, Laura, and Chip Matthews. John died suddenly and unexpectedly in Chapin, SC, a place he loved and called home for the past 32 years. John was exceptional in many ways. A scholar, he received his B.A. degree from the Baptist College of Charleston, now Charleston Southern University, and his Masters in English from the University of South Carolina. John was an English instructor (teaching "readin' and writin'" as he would often say) at Midlands Technical College, where he shared his sharp wit and wisdom with his beloved students. Upon retirement he taught at Newberry College, South University, and Piedmont Technical College in Newberry. He was and is loved by his students and received many awards for his teaching. In the words of one of his students, "This adjunct can fool the most astute observer with his unassuming demeanor and Walter Mitty facade, but he had a fierce passion for the success of his students." There is no greater or more appropriate tribute. He loved reading and writing from an early age and wrote several feature stories for "The Newberry," the lifestyle magazine of Newberry County. The consummate outdoorsman, John loved the beauty of nature and nothing in the wooded and rural parts of the world escaped his attentive eye. He especially loved watching birds and could identify many species. He loved building bird houses, especially for bluebirds, the bird that "carries the sky on his back," as he would say, quoting Thoreau. John was a faithful member of Bethel Lutheran Church in White Rock where he served as grounds keeper after retiring from teaching. John was a humble man, faithful to his family and church. Today John is with Jesus in all of God's glory, goodness, and mercy, probably fishing with his father. God bless you, our dear, precious John. Funeral Services will be held by the Rev. Megan Lineberger on Sunday, April 10, 2022, 2:30 PM at Bethel Lutheran Church in White Rock. Visitation will be at the church one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow in Bethel Lutheran Church Cemetery. Memories and condolences may be shared with the family here on his Tribute Wall. Whitaker Funeral Home is honored to assist the family.