Elloween Matthews

Elloween "Queenie" Grantham Matthews, age 89 was called home today, June 23, 2014, after a long and beautiful life.

Funeral services for Ms. Elloween will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2014 at 12 noon at the North Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons Funeral Home with burial to follow at Hollywood Cemetery.

Born in Jackson, Tennessee to Daniel Payne Grantham and Lottie Bell Grantham on April 4, 1925, she was the second of three sisters. She lived in Jackson through her high school years and then spent a short time in Washington, DC working at the Pentagon. She returned to Jackson to marry her high school sweetheart, John W. Matthews, Jr. During the next thirty years, she lived in many different places as an Air Force wife, moving in excess of thirty times. In 1975, she returned to Jackson to retire.

As a military wife, she traveled extensively in the U.S. and had two tours in Okinawa, Japan. In between moving so many times and raising four children, she developed many hobbies including gardening, bowling, golf, playing bridge, mahjong, and art. Art was her favorite and she became very accomplished in oil and water color mediums. She has many of her works located throughout the world. She taught art in her home for many years and participated in many Art Shows in Jackson and throughout the mid-south.

Elloween was a member of First Baptist Church of Jackson.

She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, her first born son, John W. Matthews III; her two sisters, Virginia Raper and Billie Hamlett; her in-laws, Mary Ellen Phillips, Ross Matthews, Jim Matthews; and her nephew, David Hamlett.

She is survived by her four children, Larry David Matthews and wife Cheryl Matthews, Laura Lynn Matthews, William Michael Matthews all of Jackson and Jeanne Loraine Matthews of Mesa, AZ; two grandchildren, Donald Lee Matthews and James David Matthews and wife Leslie; five great grandchildren, Dawson Lee Matthews, Maggie Nicole Matthews, Drew Landon Matthews, Ethan James Matthews and Jackson Taylor Matthews all of Jackson. Also, there are brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. She was loved and will be missed by all.

A visitation with the family will be held on Thursday, June 26, 2014 from 10 a.m. until the service time of 12 noon at the North Chapel of George A. Smith and Sons Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Church of Jackson, 1627 North Highland Ave, Jackson, TN, 38301.