Mr. Willie "Ned" Matthews "Soul Shaker"

Our beloved husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother and uncle was called home by the Lord on Friday, January 10, 2025. Willie Matthews was born March 8, 1941, in Shady Grove, Alabama, to the late Ollie and Ella Francis Matthews. Willie attended school at Helicon High School in Alabama. He moved to Saginaw, Michigan in 1960 where he began working at Michigan Bean. He later met the love of his life, Antoinette Mathews, who he married in 1964. He began working at General Motors Saginaw Metal Casting in 1966 until he retired on November 1, 1998. He was a member of UAW Local 668. Willie was a member of Mt. Olive Institutional Missionary Baptist Church where he later joined the Heavenly Hands Kitchen Ministry and was nicknamed “Chicken Man”. Willie loved fishing, hunting, and especially drag racing at Ubly, Lapeer, Detroit and Tri-City Dragways’ and was known as the Saginaw Soul Shaker. After retiring, he enjoyed gardening and cutting his grass 3 times a week. His greatest passion was his family. Willie had a great sense of humor, loved helping people and was a true man of his word. Mr. Willie Matthews leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Antoinette Matthews; children, Brian and Kecia Matthews, all of Saginaw, MI; grandchildren, Skyy (Daniel) Jackson, Tre’ (Keyshonna) Fife-Matthews of Saginaw, MI, Brian Jr. and Bri’Angela Matthews of Oklahoma City, OK; great grandchildren, Jaiden and Arrington Matthews of Oklahoma City, OK, Princeton Matthews of Victorville, CA and Alaya Fife-Matthews of Saginaw, MI; daughter-in-love, LaTangela Matthews of Dallas, TX; sisters, Eula Mae Merritt of Troy, NY and Delores Matthews-Smith of Decatur, GA; brother-in-law, Wilbur Mathews of Saginaw, MI; god sisters/brother, JoAnne and Diane Langston and Vernon (April) Langston of Texas; goddaughter, Kim (Barrett) Glover of Redford, MI; two special nieces, Chandra Howell of Saginaw, MI and Robyn Mathews of Leroy, MI who he raised from ages 8 and 6; nieces, Sylvia Venson of Troy, NY, Devona (Michael) Matthews-Floyd of Grand Rapids, MI, Veronica Mathews, Dione Colvin, Denise Mathews and Marquita Hill, all of Atlanta, GA, Katrice Humphrey of Saginaw, MI and Crystal (Eric) Hackney of MI; nephews, Kenneth Ike (Yvonne) Merritt of New York City, NY, Darrick (Karrie) Matthews of Carrollton, MI and Billy (Wendy) Phillips of Long Beach, CA; cousin Bubba Stringer and family and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends, including special friends; Willie Frank (Corol) May of Detroit, MI, Willie “Dawg” Hollis, Billy (Linda) Thomas, Allen Brooks, Robert (Gloria) Hughes, Joanne Bloom, John (Shirley) Sangster, Tony Sangster, all of Saginaw, MI, Dock (Deb) Underwood of Jackson, MI and Robert Yancy of Grand Rapids, MI. Mr. Matthews was preceded in death by parents, Ollie and Ella Francis Matthews; sister, Emma Grace Collier; brothers, Douglas, Willie James, Ollie D., Benthard and Larry Matthews; sister-in-law, Gwendolyn Mathews; brother-in-law, Leonard Mathews. The family would like to express special thanks to granddaughter, Skyy (Daniel) Jackson, Great Lakes Rehab Center, Covenant Cooper, Alicia McLaren, Sharon Chatman, Cassandra “Bam” Collier, Mary (Steve) Williams, Terrance (Kisha) Myles and the GFL family, Mark Oates, Al Brooks, Brady Mahone Jr., Robert Brossard, Darrick Lewis, the Genwright family, Jerome Sangster, All American Muscle Car Club, The Doyen Family, The Bay City Rollers, The Be Cool family, The Tri-City Dragway family, Dr. Desmon R. Daniel, Genesee County DHHS and the Mt. Olive Institutional Missionary Baptist Church family Funeral service will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 25, 2025 at Mt. Olive Institutional Baptist Church, 1114 North 6th St., Saginaw, MI 48601.Pastor Joshua M. Daniels, Host Pastor and Dr. Desmon Daniel will officiate with interment in Forest Lawn Cemetery 3210 S. Washington, Saginaw, MI 48601. Visitation will take place on Friday at the funeral home 441 N. Jefferson Ave., Saginaw, MI 48607 from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Mr. Willie "Ned" Matthews "Soul Shaker"

March 8, 1941 - January 10, 2025