Lewis Matthews Jr., real estate salesman

Lewis R. “Dick” Matthews Jr., whose career in real estate sales spanned three decades, died Sunday from congestive heart failure at Gilchrist Hospice Care in Towson. He was 81.

The son of Lewis R. Matthews Sr., a salesman, and Estelle Lewis, a homemaker, Lewis Richard Matthews Jr. was born in Baltimore and raised in Stoneleigh. In 1957 he married Eudell Sharpe. He graduated in 1953 from Towson High School, then attended Duke University, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta fraternity and graduated in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree.

After college, Mr. Matthews began his career in pharmaceutical sales for Hoffmann La Roche, eventually becoming a sales manager. While working for the company, he held sales assignments in Pittsburgh, Tampa, Fla., and New Orleans, as well as in New Jersey.

He and his wife moved to Baltimore with their two sons.

Mr. Matthews was teaching microbiology at Baltimore Community College when he earned his real estate license in 1970 and then went into real estate sales.

During his career he worked for Gaylord Brooks, Russell T. Baker and Matthews & Co. When he retired in 2009, he was a sales manager at Long & Foster’s Towson office.

The former Cockeysville resident, who lived in Hunt Valley for the last decade, was an avid, lifelong runner. Family members recalled that when he was in high school, Mr. Matthews had won a state championship in the 220yard dash. In his youth, he played baseball and participated in the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa.

In recent years, he competed in four marathons and was a member of the Road Runners of Maryland. He was also a Ravens and Orioles fan. He and his wife were world travelers and had visited such places as Machu Picchu and the Galapagos Islands.

Mr. Matthews was a member of the Scottish Rite, Masons and the Boumi Temple.

He was a member of Timonium United Methodist Church, 2300 Pot Spring Road, Timonium, where a memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. today.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by two sons, Rick Matthews of Baldwin and Randy Matthews of Severna Park; a brother, James Matthews of Towson; and five grandchildren.