L eflections R R ife’s
eflections
Bland Rudolph Matthews was born to Ruthie Mae Hamilton and Gene Rudolph Matthews in Memphis, Tennessee, on March 30, 1954. He graduated in the Class of 1972 as a Southside High School Scrapper, and he also attended Lemoyne-Owen College. Bland was a member of Lord’s Tabernacle and preached there for several years. One of his favorite scriptures was Ecclesiastes 12:1, which instructs us to “Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them.”
He was incredibly street-savvy and always found loopholes in the rules, oftentimes playing by his own. A teen and young adult in the 70’s, he loved old-school music. He would sit in his truck or in the house playing songs from artists like Maze and Frankie Beverly, the Isley Brothers, Earth, Wind, & Fire, or Marvin Gaye. Bland was an avid sportsman with an affinity for basketball and often joked that he could have gone pro, as he once played with Penny Hardaway before his NBA days. As a conversationalist, he loved to talk to anyone who would listen, made clever remarks, and told the tales of his life to any passersby. Bland was a deep thinker and humorous, too, applying either wisdom or wit to every situation. A natural competitor, Bland also enjoyed playing games like Dominoes and Scrabble and made sure to “win by any means necessary,” as he liked to say. Bland is survived by his wife, Lisa, his son, Malachi, his three daughters, Candace, Jasmine, and Brianna, as well as by his two grandchildren and his three siblings, Dennis, Elaine, and Patricia.
Proverbs 18:22 states “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing,” and into my life good things you did truly bring. I love you, I miss you, it was a joy being married to you. I will always celebrate the memories of the things we’ve gone through. Farewell my Love, although this is hard, I believe in my heart you are with God. ~Love Always, Lisa
The Celebration of Life Saturday, July 24, 2021 • 1:00 P.M.
Harrison’s Memorial Chapel,Inc. 3320 Millbranch Road • Memphis, Tennessee 38116
Processional...............................................................................“Soon and Very Soon” Introduction........................................................Brianna Renise LaPrincess Matthews Prayer.......................................................................................................Sharon Stone Solo.....................................................................................Patricia Matthews-Gordon
Expressions of Love (Respectfully, Two Minutes Please)
Family and Friends
Poem Reading....................................................................Candace Crutchfield-Hines Poem Reading....................................................Brianna Renise LaPrincess Matthews Eulogy.................................................................Minister Malachi Jermaine Matthews Scripture Reading...........................................................................Elder Elijah Dillard Recessional.......................................................................“Let The Church Say Amen” Entombment: Memorial Park Cemetery 5668 Poplar Avenue • Memphis, Tennessee 38119
Dear Dad: The Ballad of Bland Dad, you gave us great wisdom through your anecdotes. When we were under duress, your laughter was our antidote. Applying personal principles and Biblical scriptures learned by rote, You’d always turn an unfavorable situation into a silly quote. Like the time you said “I’m not staying here to eat hair,” When we were at that restaurant near Studio on the Square. Or the time you said that that one guy “was weak as one Kool-Aid in the ocean,” When he called to curse at you and cause commotion. I remember our family game nights, rife with competitive tension, When you’d make playful outbursts and funny faces for attention, When your intentionally-misspelled Scrabble words were a point of contention, A few of your attributes, I just wanted to mention. In this small space, I’m unable to capture your full essence. I could go on and on about your friendly nature, marked by congeniality and effervescence. I could lament on how blessed I feel to have been in your presence, Absorbing and reflecting upon your many life’s lessons. Dad, though you are no longer here and were a victim of senescence, I refuse to let you be reduced to obsolescence. I have committed your life and legacy to memory. And I know that your soul is with the Lord, reveling in sweet serenity. You are now renewed and freed of transgressions. May you be at peace and resting in Heavenly convalescence. From: Brianna Renise LaPrincess Matthews
Distinctive Services by View Funeral Programs, DVD Tributes & More Through Your Mobile Device
3320 Millbranch Rd. • Memphis, Tennessee 38116 901-452-7331 www.harrisonsfuneralhomeinc.com “There’s No Comparison To HARRISON” ~Since 1923~
Tarik A. Yancy 901.336.9706 www.mysticalprinting.com