Marjorie Matthews
American bishop
Marjorie Swank Matthews (July 11, 1916 – June 30, 1986) was an American bishop of the United Methodist Church and the first woman to serve as a Methodist bishop.
Early life
She was born July 11, 1916, in Onaway, Michigan, to Jesse Alonzo and Charlotte Mae (Chapman) Swank. She married young and divorced after World War II. She had one son, William Jesse Matthews. She worked at Lobdell-Emery Manufacturing Company in Alma, Michigan to support herself and her son.
Education
Matthews graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor's degree from Central Michigan University in 1967. She then went on to receive a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in 1970. Completing her schooling at Florida State University, she received both a master's in religion and a doctorate in humanities in 1976.
Ministry
While Matthews was completing her education, she served as an elder in churches in her home state of Michigan, as well as New York and Florida. She was the second female district superintendent in the United Methodist Church. She served as superintendent of the Grand Traverse District from 1976.
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