Vallie Ruth Matthews departed this Earth to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on January 11, 2023.

Ruth, aka, Ma Ruth as she was called by many of her friends, was born on April 6, 1936, to the late Webb McCarter and the late Rosa Forbes in Greenville, North Carolina. She was educated in Ayden-Grifton public schools and was very athletic, having played on the girls’ high school basketball team, it was in Ayden-Gfirton that she met her first husband, Haggar G. King, and ultimately moved to Norfolk, Virginia where she has lived ever since.

Ruth was known and loved throughout her community. She also had a restaurant called “Ruth’s BBQ”, some may remember. She enjoyed having big cookouts and cooking large meals for all to enjoy. Ruth spent several years working in several positions before deciding to attend Barber College, where she earned her Master Barber License at home, eventually marrying Vernon Matthews, Sr., bearing her fifth son before their untimely divorce. After several years cutting hair on the base, she made a career pivot in the mid 70’s and pursued one of the new positions being created at Ford Motor Company’s Truck manufacturing plant in Norfolk. She was employed with them until her retirement in 1991. Always a hard worker, Ruth went back to her first love, cutting hair, during retirement years as well as extended stints at Walmart. She was a mother figure for many of the store’s young employees. She continued her primary joy of cooking for family and friends and watching her grandchildren grow into young adults.

Ruth was loved and admired by her family and was predeceased in death by her father Webb, mother Rosa, and her 12 brothers and sisters.

She leaves to honor and cherish her memory five sons, Charles King of Seattle, Washington, Alvin King (Dee) of Chesapeake, Virginia, William King (Teresa) of Norfolk, Calvin King of Norfolk, Virginia, and Vernon Matthews, Jr. (Tamara) of Chesterfield, Virginia. Also cherishing her memory are 8 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, 1 great great-grandchild, numerous nieces, great-nieces, nephews, great-nephews, and a host of special and close friends.

Ruth was loved and admired by all and will be sorely missed.