Marion Mathes

Marion Mathes, 90, the son of the late Joseph Mathes and Frances Shade, was born in Plumtree, Avery County, North Carolina on November 11, 1933. Marion passed away to rest in peace on March 21, 2024, after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease at the Vierra Falls Church nursing home in Falls Church, Virginia.

Marion, the second youngest of nine children, always had a passion for service to others. When asked why he pursued social work as a career, Marion would succinctly state, “I wanted to help people.” In addition, he strongly believed that education was the key to uplifting people of color. After graduating from North Carolina public schools, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama on June 3, 1956, aided by a scholarship from the Presbyterian Church. Marion subsequently moved to New York City where he worked for the Department of Welfare helping at-risk youth. It was there that he met and was later joined in holy matrimony to Raphael Omega Matthews. Their union was blessed with a daughter, Karyn, and a son, Timothy.

The Mathes family moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where Marion attended the University of Michigan. He graduated with a Master’s Degree in Social Work with a Gerontology specialization in 1970. His time spent at the university turned him into a lifelong, ardent fan of the Michigan Wolverines college football team. The family moved to Wilmington, Delaware, followed by a move to Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, when Marion was employed as a Social Worker for Family & Community Service of Delaware County in Media, Pennsylvania for many years. He assisted numerous Delaware County residents that faced a variety of life challenges. He later worked as a Minority Recruiter for Penn State University, helping students of color achieve their educational goals. Marion concluded his career as a Nursing Home Inspector for the state of Pennsylvania until his retirement in 1996.

Marion was a dedicated father, a loyal friend, and a longtime member of the Swarthmore Presbyterian Church who enjoyed traveling with his family to Atlantic City, New Jersey before and especially after the casino industry took hold. He was a huge fan of jazz and the blues, owning a large collection of vinyl records of his favorite artists including B.B. King, Big Mama Thornton, Miles Davis, George Benson, Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington, Max Roach, Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers, Wes Montgomery, and many others. He could also be heard cheering on his beloved Michigan Wolverines during countless Saturday afternoons. His loving wife Raffie would admonish him with “Marion!” when he was so loud that the whole neighborhood could hear him. He particularly liked going to Linvilla Orchards in Media, Pennsylvania to feed the animals with his granddaughter Sierra. Marion would often recount the time Sierra was pecked by a chicken when she got too close to it.

He is pre-deceased by his wife, Raphael O. Mathes of Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. He is survived by his daughter Karyn P. Ousley (Scott) of Burke, Virginia; his son Timothy K. Mathes, Ph.D. (Irene) of Ossining, New York; his granddaughter Sierra Borda Scott (Rodrigo) and his great-granddaughter Mila Borda of Lorton, Virginia; his sister-in-law Madelyn Hollis of Centreville, Maryland; his Godchild Judith Dent of the Bronx, New York; as well as many nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 3, 2024, at Everly Funeral Home Chapel, 6161 Leesburg Pike, Falls Church, VA 22044. In lieu of flowers, the family would like everyone to consider donating to organizations that support education in the field of social work, carrying on Marion’s legacy of service to others. May God grant him peace.

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