Garland E. Matthews, Jr.

Garland Eugene Matthews, Jr., age 89, of Emory, Texas, passed away on May 27, 2026.

Born on April 11, 1937, in Austin, Texas, Garland was the first child and only son of Garland Eugene Matthews, Sr. and Rosa Taylor Bacot. A father in sales meant a life on the move—Garland lived in 17 homes across the South before graduating from Arlington Heights High School in Fort Worth. Working full-time to pay for his college classes, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor’s degree in Business, focusing on Advertising. While at UT, he met Elizabeth Mae Hix at University United Methodist Church. They married and raised two children together.

Garland was a natural entrepreneur. After early sales experience with Shaw Walker in Dallas, he founded Matthews Bank Equipment and Supply Company. He later established Corporate Identities, Inc., becoming one of the early leaders in Dallas’s advertising specialties industry. He was proud to say that his career income came from “100% straight commission sales.”

A man with a cheerful temperament and a zest for life, Garland loved telling stories and making people smile. He possessed a rare emotional openness — he felt things deeply and expressed them freely. This gift allowed him to connect with people on a genuine level, fueling his success in sales and enriching many relationships throughout his life. He loved people.

He was deeply dedicated to his family and remained actively involved in his children’s lives — coaching soccer and supporting the band programs during their school years. He was also a longtime member and one-time president of the Dallas Town North Optimist Club from the early 1970s until about 2005, reflecting his strong servant-oriented heart.

Garland had a great love for the outdoors and staying active. He enjoyed fishing, sailing, water skiing, snow skiing, ping pong, tennis, and racquetball. He loved making any game more interesting by playfully tapping into the human element—psychology, rivalry, and fun. For example, he sometimes delighted in coaxing his equally competitive dad into outrageously high bids during 42 games. He also loved watching sports, especially professional football.

He and Elizabeth built a lake house and homestead on Cedar Creek Lake near Mabank, Texas, where they created many family memories. After more than 30 years of marriage, Garland and Elizabeth divorced. In the late 1990s, he met Nancy Greene, and they shared a devoted and loving relationship for the rest of his life.

Garland is survived by his son, Kenneth Lee Matthews; his daughter, Lauren Kaye Matthews-Stiles; five grandchildren, Taylor Gabriella Dawson Buchel, Faith Alexis Dawson, Goldie Destiny Dawson, Pierce Bently Dawson, and Gunner Matthews Stiles; his sister, Virginia Matthews Culpepper; Elizabeth Hix Matthews, who remained a valued friend; and Nancy Greene.