Matthew Hampton

Matthew Hampton, age 97, was born on May 7, 1929, in Murfreesboro, North Carolina, to the late Aquilla and Mary Joyner Hampton. Matthew passed away at 9 p.m. on February 14th, Valentine’s Day. When he was 78 years old, he decided to write his own obituary in his own words, titled “Looking Back.”

LOOKING BACK

Written by Matthew Hampton at age 78

At 78 years old and looking back, I can still remember my grandfather, who was a Baptist minister and who instilled in me the importance of providing for your elders as they aged. In those days, nursing homes were not available and families provided for one another.

My father, the son of a minister, was a quiet, gentle, and kind man. With only a fourth‑grade education, he was able to help my sister with her high school homework. He had a talent that enabled him to build or fix anything—from adding a room to repairing cars. As a child, I worked with him, and his skills were passed on to me. If you ask my grandkids, they will say, “Pap Pap can fix anything.”

My dad was a farmer and he worked very hard. He taught me to do the best job you can at whatever you do, and to be honest and trustworthy when you give your word. My dad never had to discipline or raise his voice to me. I was the youngest of two brothers and a sister.

Our church services were held once a month, but Sunday School was taught every Sunday. This allowed us to attend services at other churches. My mother and two of her sisters would sing all the old gospels from church to church; they also sang at the homes of those who were ill.

My mother was very proud of me. My teachers told her that I was very smart, and they gave me leading roles in all the school plays. I was almost eight years old when my mother became ill and was confined to bed. I remembered some of the things she would cook, so I would try to do the same. She was grateful for the food I brought to her bedside, and she always gave me a compliment. My mother, a praying woman, never recovered from her illness and died a year later. I feel that my mother’s prayers protected me and helped me to find the kind of wife I now have. Even now, when Pastor Witt sings one of her songs, you will find the tears still falling from my eyes.

I was eleven years old when I joined church. It was many years later that I began to grow in Christ.

A year after my mother died, my sister graduated from high school, married, and left home. A short time later, my oldest brother married, and my brother who was three years older than I left to find work in Baltimore. My dad married a nice lady with four kids, ages ranging from one to eight. I, being the oldest, could no longer attend school because my dad, who was a sharecropper, needed me to help him work on the farm. It was very hard work, and at the end of each year, like all our neighbors, we always ended up in debt.

I finally told my dad that I was going to Baltimore with my brother. My dad was not surprised; he knew how close I was to my brother. At the age of fourteen, I left home to find work in Baltimore and promised my dad to send him money to help him and the family.

The teachings of my grandfather, father, and mother blessed me with the ability to know a person by their walk and their talk. If I could change anything in the past, it would be for my grandfather and father to have owned their own land, they loved farming. The twenty dollars twice a month that I sent my dad was more than he earned in a year working on the farm.

After working in Baltimore for a year and sending my dad money, I moved to Atlantic City. The next five or six years were very good. My supervisor, who treated me like a son, taught me the trade of baking bread, pastry, and the European style of cooking. I was not able to attend church because my workdays included Saturday and Sunday.

I received my draft notice and served in the Korean War. After I served my country and traveled all over Europe, I returned to Atlantic City. I had a good‑paying job and a new car, but no benefits. I realized that my grandfather and my dad worked hard all their lives but had no health benefits or retirement package. I decided to go to Harrisburg, PA; I had a friend who lived there. My friends could not believe that I was going to leave Atlantic City and move to a place like Harrisburg. I feel that God was leading me there to look for employment.

The wife of my friend introduced me to a girl who at first became my friend and later my wife. I traveled around the world and finally met the girl I believe my mother would have wanted me to marry. We both had a secret: I did not know that she could not cook, and she did not know how well I could cook. But we both got through some trying times.

Together we managed our finances, paid our bills on time, and kept our own checking and savings accounts. Our names are on each other’s accounts. To avoid finance charges, we never charged anything we could not pay off in thirty days. We saved for things we would need in the future, for example, a car. We were able to avoid financing cars.

We saved money on repairs to our first home because I had the ability to build and repair, thanks to my father’s teachings. My wife was amazed one day when she returned from work and there was a large hole in front of the house—but before dark, I had installed a five‑by‑eight‑foot picture window.

We supported one another in all our endeavors. My wife has a big heart; she is very kind, loving, and smart, but she can be tough and very outspoken. She lives her life the way a Christian should. Her mother and father regarded me as the son they never had.

After my son and daughter, who are less than a year apart, were born, my wife was a stay‑at‑home mom until they entered grade school, and then she only worked part‑time. I was able to find time to complete my high school education, and the requirements on my job made management courses available to me for two years at Penn State.

Having a full‑time and a part‑time job did not prevent me from spending time with my family. The kids and I enjoyed fishing, flying kites, making toys, playing basketball, and enjoying a game of pool or cards. We had numerous family outings and vacations.

The things I would change would be to have had a job that did not require me to work on Sunday. I would have loved at an early age to take my family to church. The other change would be to be able to tell my wife how much I love her. I was a man of action but very few words. When I was young, she would say that I never told her how much I loved her. I thought what you said did not carry much value, but what you did—and my accomplishments every day—should have shown her my love. So, to you my wife: I love you till the day after forever.

LOOKING AHEAD

I am retired, and my wife and I are very blessed with reasonably good health and income. The savings that I have is not for me to spend. It is for my soul mate to spend time when I have to leave her to go and be with the Lord. She can then live the way she is accustomed to. Our son and daughter are marriage and have blessed us with a son and daughter-in-law, to be proud of. Both families love the Lord and attend and support their church. We are also proud of our four grandchildren who attend church and Sunday School. I will continue to study God's word to continue my spiritual growth in Christ. I will continue to serve and support my church and my pastor and his vision. I pray for wisdom and God's word for ministering to the unsaved. I will continue to talk to my son about balancing his time on the job and having more quality time with his family. My son and daughter were so impressed with this plan that they decided to write about my role in their life. I am proud of them.

Matthew leaves to cherish and honor his memory his lovely wife of 71 years, Shirley Hampton; his two children Carlos Hampton and Keemie Hampton-Titus; his 6 grandchildren, daughter-in-law Terry Hampton and many dear family, friends and colleagues.

Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.