On March 21, 2022 our beloved mother, Barbara Reese Matthews, passed away peacefully while surrounded by her loving family. She was 94, and a resident of The Lindley Inn in The Plains, Ohio.

Barbara Jane Reese was born April 9, 1927, in Wilmington, Delaware to Beatrice Zellah and John Cleland Reese, one of twin girls. The family moved to Columbus, Ohio, where years later the girls attended Ohio State University. She was runner-up in the Miss Columbus beauty pageant and later briefly worked for Vogue modeling studios in Columbus, Ohio. She met her future husband, Jack Matthews, at Ohio State University and they married in 1947, as Jack began his successful writing career.

Eventually, Barbara and Jack moved to Ohio University making their home in Athens, Ohio where they raised their three children. Barbara Matthews was always admired for her modesty, kindness, grace, and beauty. While her husband taught and wrote, she worked as administrative assistant for the editor of Ohio University Press, and later was employed by Ohio University's School of Dance as Administrative Secretary. She was civic minded and later in life found great satisfaction working for the Athens County Historical Society, including a term as their Museum Director.

She is preceded in death by her husband John (Jack) Matthews (2013), both her parents, by her twin sister Beverly Ann Chadeayne, her brother Col. Cleland Reese, her granddaughter Catherine Warnock Proctor (2021) and great grandson Brandon Warnock (2018).

She is survived by her daughters Cynthia Ann (Wyman) Warnock of Dacula, Georgia; Barbara-Ellen (John) Saunders of Chesterhill; and her son John (Cathy) Matthews of Athens. Her six surviving grandchildren are Smith (Natalie) Weir, of Columbus, Jed (Lori) Warnock of Wahiawa, Hawaii, Casey (Kelley) Warnock of Thomasville, Georgia, Eric Platt of Chagrin Falls, Jack (Lindsay) Matthews of Canal Winchester, Clay (Casey) Matthews of Athens. She is also survived by nine great-grandchildren: Aidan and Noah Weir, Ansley, Hailey, Peyton, and Georgia Warnock, Emma, Rowan and Kora Matthews. She was greatly loved by all her family and will be missed by all who knew her.

Her family wishes to thank The Lindley Inn and Ohio Health Hospice for their loving care and kindness they showed our mother and our family. There will be no service at this time. A family gathering will be held at a later date.  Arrangements are with Jagers & Sons Funeral Home, Athens.  Please share a memory, a note of condolence or sign the online register book at www.jagersfuneralhome.com.