Claudia Ann Matthews

Claudia Ann Matthews, age 75, of Evansville, Indiana, was born on October 25, 1950, to the late Lucille Shepherd Matthews and Jasper Leroy Matthews in Lincoln Gardens Housing Development. Before she was one-year old, the family moved to John Street, where they lived for 20-plus years.

On July 13, 2026, Claudia peacefully answered her Master’s call while sleeping.

Claudia attended Chestnut-Walnut Elementary School, Lincoln High School before it was desegregated in 1962, and graduated from Central High School in 1968. She earned a B.A. degree in Business from the University of Southern Indiana in Evansville, which was beneficial in obtaining employment at General Electric Co. in Mount Vernon, Indiana.

Claudia was baptized by the late Rev. Dr. W.R. Brown, Sr., pastor, at an early age at Little Hope Missionary Baptist Church (now New Hope), where she attended Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, and Baptist Training Union. She learned to love Jesus the Christ who she confessed to be her Saviour. Upon her return to the city from Chicago, Claudia joined the Nazarene Missionary Baptist Church and was active in the Health Ministry, assisting Dr. Danielle Rascoe-Williams. She also was a Sunday School teacher at St. John’s East UCC, and she was a tither at all three churches. While in Chicago, she was a member of Trinity United Church of Christ, led by Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Sr.

She met Kevin Stewart in Evansville, IN, they married and moved to his hometown Chicago, IL. There, Claudia found employment in selling automobiles, most especially at O’Connor’s Ford Motor Co. When the marriage ended, Claudia relocated to Denver, Colo., where her aunt, the late Doris Hawes, resided. Claudia assisted her Aunt Doris, whose health was declining. She later moved to Milwaukee, Wisc., where her sister, Sondra Matthews, resided. While there, Claudia worked for Milwaukee Housing Authority Senior Services. In 2010, she returned to Evansville to help care for her mother, Lucille Matthews, who was experiencing health challenges.

Back in Evansville, Claudia became very active. She was a member of Carver Community Senior Center, Lincoln-Clark-Douglass Alumni Association, and enjoyed membership in the Evansville African American Museum, to name a few. She loved playing golf with Fendrich’s Ladies 9-Hole Golf League in Evansville and enjoyed Mid-Week Bible Study at St. John’s East UCC. She was an advertising sales associate for Our Times Newspaper for 15 years until her passing.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, grandparents, and nephews DeMarco Hampton and Clifton Darnell, Jr.

She leaves to cherish her memory her sisters, Glenda Bonita Hampton and Sondra L. Matthews, both of Evansville; nieces, LaTanya Darnell of Evansville, and Gevett Darnell of Cincinnati, Ohio, Fredericka Hampton of Evansville, and Dahia Strickland (Norman, Sr.) of St. Paul, Minn., and a host of great nephews, nieces, and cousins. She also leaves a life-long friend, Chandra Taylor, who was like a sister for more than 65 years .

Claudia will be remembered for her faith, community involvement, generosity, resilience, and the love she shared with family and friends throughout her life.