Mary Prentiss Matthews

Mary Prentiss Matthews, 90, passed away on Monday, the 18^th of September 2023 in Houston, Texas.  She was born in Montgomery, Alabama on the 7^th of October 1932 and spent more than fifty years in her adopted home of Beaumont, Texas.  There she and her husband, Bill, reared two sons, had impactful lives, and cherished countless friendships.

Mary graduated from Sidney Lanier High School in Montgomery, Alabama.  She also graduated from Ward-Belmont College (Belmont University) in Nashville, Tennessee, and Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, with a Bachelor of Arts in Voice. SMU is where Mary met the love of her life, Bill.  They were married on December 17, 1955, in Montgomery and together were a foundation of love and support for sixty-one years. Mary worked twenty years for Beaumont State Bank and its iterations culminating in Bank of America. Her passions were singing and serving her church and community. Mary was a member of the Trinity Chancel Choir and performed numerous solos over the decades. She was also a member of the Beaumont Interfaith Choral Society and the Symphony of Southeast Texas Chorus. Mary served her community through the United Methodist Women, Some Other Place, Buckner Auxiliary Board for Buckner Children and Family Services in Beaumont, Junior League of Beaumont, and many other organizations. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi sorority, P.E.O. International, and Daughters of the American Revolution.  Mary cherished the Hamaco Sunday School Class, her generational friends, neighbors, choir friends, and extended family. Mary Louise was the quintessential Southern belle.

Mary is preceded in death by parents, Vera Ruth and John L. Prentiss;  sisters, Sarah Prentiss Fain and Ruth Prentiss Maddox; husband, Billy W. Matthews; and son, William W. Matthews.

Mary is survived by her son, Ross P. Matthews and his wife, Rebecca H. Matthews; granddaughters, Ellen E. Matthews and Olivia K. Matthews; nieces, Vivian Fain Garrett, Kay Maddox Kendrick, and Valerie Maddox Patterson; nephew, John Maddox, Jr.; and their loving spouses and children.

The Matthews family extends its sincere thanks and gratitude to Mary’s caretakers, Rosie, Angela, Tierany, Geraldine, Ada, Hannah, Ruby, and others who all gave Mary the dignity and love that she embodied for a lifetime.

A gathering of Mrs. Matthews’ family and friends will begin at 12:30 p.m., in the Nita McKnight Parlor at Trinity United Methodist Church, 3430 Harrison Avenue, Beaumont, followed by her funeral service at 2:00 p.m., Saturday, September 23, 2023, in the Sanctuary, officiated by Dr. J. Nathan Hodge. Her interment will follow at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Beaumont, under the direction of Broussard’s, 1605 North Major Drive, Beaumont.

The pallbearers are Walter Barclay, Lance Lubel, Michael Meaux, Kent Hedges, Stephen Arata, and Brian Swain.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Some Other Place, P.O. Box 0843, Beaumont, Texas 77704 donate online, Buckner International, 700 North Pearl Street, Suite 1200 Dallas, Texas 75201 donate online; the Symphony of Southeast Texas, 4345 Phelan Boulevard #105 Beaumont, Texas 77707 donate online; or a charity of your choice.