Frankie Clements Matthews

Frankie Clements Matthews joined her husband and family in heaven Christmas afternoon. She was born at home on the family farm outside of Emory, Alabama, on November 16, 1910, to James West and Lula Bonner Clements. She was part of a close family of five sisters and two brothers. As a young child, she remembered moving by wagon to Gilbertown, Alabama and her father continued to farm, broker cattle, and owned a general store. She graduated from schools in Gilbertown, a boarding school in Mississippi, and Livingston College in Livingston, Alabama. She studied piano and sang in the choir in college. She taught school outside Waynesboro, Mississippi. She met Arthur Morris Matthews, Sr., at a church ice cream social and they married in 1937. Two sons were born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, after her beloved husband "A. M." came home from the war. The family settled in Gulfport in 1956. "MiMi" as her grandchildren called her, was active in Cub Scouts, First United Methodist Church, and the Garden Club, raised African violets, and served as president of the UMW, The Gulfport PTA, and the Gulfport Band Parents. She and her husband attended hundreds of baseball, basketball and football games, band concerts, scout meetings and other activities to support her children and grandchildren. In 1962, she returned to work with her husband in a new business "A & M Petroleum" in downtown Gulfport. With retirement, Mrs. Matthews resumed participation in the Order of the Eastern Star, Butler, Alabama Chapter. She became a member the Daughters of the American Revolution and a state officer in the Daughters of the Confederacy. She continued a lifelong interest in genealogy, and learned to use her computer to trace her relatives and find more stories. Miss Frankie continued to “take care" of her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and actively participated in their lives her entire life. As she became infirm, she moved to Lakeview Nursing Home, and made many new friends there. She was preceded in death by her husband, Arthur M. Matthews, Sr. and a granddaughter, Anne Palmer Matthews. Mrs. Matthews is survived by two sons, Dr. Arthur M. Matthews, Jr. and his wife, Wanda, and Franklin Michael Matthews and his wife, Beth; Seven grandchildren, Claire Papizan (Chris), Arthur Matthews, III (Casey), Paige Dukes (Jonathan), and Michael Luke Matthews, Alisha Plummer (Joey), Dudley Westbrook (Alicia), and Priscilla Torres (Duran); and thirteen great grandchildren. There is bench placed in the Bayou View Park in Mrs. Matthews’ honor. Visitation will be at First United Methodist Church in Gulfport on Monday, December 30th at 10 AM. Service will be at 10:30AM. Burial will be besides her husband, granddaughter, and siblings in Gilbertown at 3 PM. Psalm 118:24 This is the day the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it. The family prefers memorials to First United Methodist Church 2301 15th Street Gulfport, MS 39501. BRADFORD-O’KEEFE FUNERAL HOME, 15th St. Gulfport, is in charge of arrangements. View and Sign register at www.bradfordokeefe.com