Danny Ray Matthews “Porkchop,” age 55, of Oak Hill, Ohio went home to be with the Lord on Friday, March 15, 2013 after a long battle with cancer. Chops was an avid bass fisherman and an active member of the Lunker Hunters Bass Masters of Oak Hill. He was a member of the Trinity Wesleyan Church. He spent many years driving truck for himself and for PI&I and Grant Trucking. He spent some time traveling with the Cumberland Valley Shows working for Jim and Della Ryan as a driver and running the arcade, as well as time spent as a herdsman for Kenny and Sandra Gruenbaum. Danny spent four years in the U.S. Marine Corps and was a 1975 graduate of Fairbanks High School in Milford Center, Ohio.
Danny was preceded in death by Clyde and Bertha Matthews, Freda Matthews (mother), Glen and Zona Cade (maternal grandparents), Joyce Ann Cade, Patty Jo Cade, Leila Schnoonover (mother-in-law) and special friends, Janie Hatfield and Maria Colvin.
Chops is survived by his wife of 33 years, Teresa Matthews; daughter, Mona (Kenny) Sexton of Kitts Hill; son, Levi Matthews of Oak Hill; grandchildren, Dakota Keeton, Kandice Moore, Kristen and Skyler Sexton; father, Clyde Matthews of Marysville, Ohio; Bill Turvey (Linda Webb) of Oak Hill; brothers, Steve (Nina) Matthews of Pittsburgh, PA, Bob (Katie) Matthews of Groveland, FL, Mark (Sonok) Matthews of Avondale, AZ and Chris (Crystal) Matthews of Marysville, OH; sisters, Brenda (Larry) Kelly of Milford Center, OH and Becky (Lee) Blankenship of Marysville, OH; as well as a boatload of nieces and nephews and great-nieces and great-nephews.
Extended family includes: Janice Turvey, lavena Barret, Alfred Turvey, Bert Keeton, Lee Turvey, Eph Turvey, Erma Willis, Lee Roy Cade, Trubby and Betty May as well as a host of aunts and uncles; special friends, Roger (Valorie) Miller, Brooklyn (Josh) Moore, Ronnie and Samantha Shephard, Brad and Josh Shephard, Connie and Wally Hatfield, Brandon Mustard, Dean and Donna Snyder, John and Tracy Carter, Jessie (Duckie) and Penny Sue Duckworth, Justin and Mitchell Duckworth, Dave and Terry Clevenger, Susan and Robert Ball, Terry Moore, Stewart and Leann Meiniger, Kenny Wilt, Doc Skinner, Dave Nida, Lisa and Michael Shepard and family, Claudia Howard, Tony Stiffler, Kendall Miller, Tony Waugh, Bob Miller, Jeff Dyer, Eddie Frye, Dennis Sherwood, Jeff and Sally Greer and many other friends he had met through the years.
A funeral service will be held on Thursday, March 21, 2013 at 1 p.m. with Rev. Fred Crabtree officiating. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 20, 2013 at the Lewis & Gillum Funeral Home of Oak Hill, as well as one hour prior to the funeral on Thursday. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in Danny’s honor to: Adena Hospice Friends of Hospice, 111 E. Water St., Chillicothe, OH 45601 or the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22718, Oklahoma City, OK 73123-1718.