OBITUARY: Rochelle Anne Boole Matthews

Friends of the late Rochelle Anne Boole Matthews, 64, of Salisbury, Md., may call on the family at 2 p.m. Friday, March 5, at the First Baptist Church, 202 Market St., Pocomoke City, Md., with graveside services following at the First Baptist Cemetery. The Rev. Paul Elligston will officiate.

Ms. Matthews died Monday, March 1, 2010, at the Peninsula Regional Medical Center, Salisbury, after a long and brave struggle against the effects and complications of vascular disease.

Born April 6, 1945, in Newport News, Va., she was the youngest daughter of the late Willis E. Boole Jr. and Grace E. Tingle Boole of Pocomoke City.

Ms. Matthews was a proud graduate of Pocomoke High School, Class of 1963 and a member of First Baptist Church of Pocomoke City.

She maintained households between Wilmington, Fredericksburg, Va. and Fayetteville, N.C., and many places in between, while her husband pursued his career in consumer finance and banking. In 1981, they returned to Pocomoke City, where they remained for the next 17 years. In 1998, they moved to Felton, where they lived until 2005, when she made her final move to Salisbury.

For Ms. Matthews’ entire life, she loved all that is the Delmarva Peninsula, the people, the land and the water, having lived across all three states. This place was always “home” to her. Even when living off the Shore, she spent many days and nights traveling back home to be with her family and friends.

In addition to her responsibilities at home, she enjoyed a number of roles ranging from hospital registrar to newspaper typesetter to legal secretary to entrepreneur. Her favorite venture, Flowers by Bea, was a popular and trusted choice in good times and bad for many years in the Pocomoke City area. After selling her business, she became a legal secretary and trusted member of the law offices of Henry P. Walters, Daniel Long and James Porter.

In Delaware, Ms. Matthews worked as a florist with her good friend Bernie Maloney and later started a new career as a customer service representative for Bank of America until she retired in 2004. Her caring demeanor and online smile earned her high marks for satisfying customers and making even more friends within her team and across the country.

While her natural family was very large, she considered her friends to be part of an even larger extended family. She learned early in life from her parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles that your loved ones and close friends are the most important things in life. She quietly instilled that quality to her family by example every day of her life. She also enjoyed sewing, cooking and collecting antiques of all descriptions.

While Ms. Matthews’ illness had diminished her mobility and thus the opportunity to see her many friends and loved ones often, she kept in close contact using the telephone, mail and the Internet. Her love of people from all walks of life helped to sustain her and provided her with much love and support.

In addtion to her parents, she was preceded in death by her paternal grandparents, Willis E. Boole Sr. and Harriet A Tingle Boole; her maternal grandparents, Garland Tingle and Nettie D Tingle; and her father-in-law, Stanley Matthews.

Ms. Matthews is survived by her high school sweetheart, love of more than 50 years and husband for nearly 47 years, Ronald F. Matthews Sr.; her three sons, their wives and children, Ronald F. Jr. and Tammy L. Matthews of Cape Charles, Va., their daughter Ashleigh of Plantation, Fla. and son Justin of Cape Charles; Scott F. and Beth E. Matthews of Pocomoke City, and their daughters Abby and Caroline; and Todd L. Matthews and Andrea M. Brace of LaGrange, Ga.

She is also survived by her mother-in-law, Pauline Matthews of Salisbury; a sister and brother-in-law, Sandra Boole Heineken and Leslie Heineken of Salisbury and their children; as well as her brothers- and sisters-in-law Stanley M. Jr. and Kathy Matthews of Salisbury, Larry and Sandra Marshall of Salisbury, their children and grandchildren, Paul and Bonnie Clayton of Wilmington, N.C., their children and grandchildren, and Robin and Pam Matthews of Salisbury.

She is also survived by her aunt and uncle, Betty Lee and Robert Todd of Salisbury, uncle and aunt, Don and Margie Tingle of Marathon, Fla., and aunt, Betty Matthews of Kingston, Md.; numerous other nieces, nephews, and cousins; and countless friends, both human, canine and feline.

Arrangements are by the Holland Funeral Home, Nassawadox, Va.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in Ms. Matthews’ name may be made to the Vascular Disease Foundation (vdf.org); the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; or the American Lung Association

Letters of condolence may be sent and the guest book signed via www.hollandfuneralhome.net.