Carol Jo Matthews, born March 1, 1946 in Ft. Worth, Texas passed away April 2, 2021 in Grapevine, Texas from Lewy Body Dementia. Carol is survived by her husband Robert Matthews, son Eric Matthews (Jill Matthews), daughter Amanda Boso (Jason Boso), her grandchildren Blake, Mara and Zane Matthews and a loving family of siblings, nieces and nephews. Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Freeda (Robin) Nash and O.C. Robinson.
Raised in the Dallas Ft-Worth area, Carol was the second oldest, natural peacemaker and gifted musician. Her musical talents – she could play a tune without seeing the sheet music – were second only to her emotional intelligence and caretaking skills.
After graduating from Bryan Adams High School in Dallas in 1964, Carol attended The University of Texas at Austin where she graduated with an undergraduate degree in Elementary Education and a master’s degree in Early Childhood Education. Carol picked up more than two degrees at UT, though. On the steps of the Math building, wearing a bright yellow sweater, she met her husband Robert while walking to class. Carol credited the success of their 52-year marriage to mutual respect and similar values, and – for those lucky enough to know Carol and Robert – a great deal of love and sweetness thrown in, too. Carol’s proudest accomplishment is the stable, loving family she built with Robert in Grapevine, Texas. Carol believed in giving her children “roots and wings” and the Matthews’ household was safe, supportive and filled with unconditional love. She encouraged her children to have fun and take risks in life - “better to ask forgiveness than permission” was a favorite saying. Her grandchildren were also recipients of Carol’s endless supply of love and fun – from dress up parties and games to cheering them on in their school and sporting events.
Carol was a kindergarten teacher for 25 years, 20 of those with Grapevine-Colleyville ISD. As a teacher, she had a reputation for building her students’ confidence in their abilities to read and write. Carol cherished helping parents see how bright their children were and their wonderful qualities beyond traditional academics. She was also a gifted teacher beyond the basics; her students learned things like conflict resolution skills, while also letting the kids be kids and play. Upon her retirement, Carol was delighted to read all of the letters and cards her former students wrote recounting memories with her like dancing the macarena, playing with the class pet rat, and making gingerbread houses. After retirement, Carol was President of Grapevine-Colleyville Association of Retired School Employees (GCARSE).
Carol’s retirement was filled with world travel. She and Robert traveled to all seven continents. They walked with penguins in Antarctica and with wildlife in Africa, slept in a tent in Tanzania and even had the unfortunate luck of getting caught in a tear-gassed protest in Istanbul, Turkey. Carol believed travel was an opportunity to learn about the people and cultures of the world. She made fast friends with the locals wherever she went, due to her openness and easy smile. Physical adventures, however, were not Carol’s favorite. The family has many funny stories about Carol’s mishaps during hikes, horse rides or anything that required an uphill climb.
But the uphill climbs in life, Carol handled with grace. At the age of three, she contracted polio which temporarily paralyzed her arm and leg, and permanently weakened her facial muscles. Carol always spoke of polio as one of the best things that happened to her because it taught her to value what was inside of herself. In 2017, when diagnosed with Lewy Body Dementia, Carol took it in stride, choosing to spend her time carefully researching and optimistically preparing for the difficult journey ahead. Carol remained loving and loveable even as her brain made doing the things she loved a struggle.
Services will be 2pm, on Thursday April 8th at Foust Funeral Home in Grapevine, Texas (523 S Main St). Seating will be socially distanced and masks required. For those not yet vaccinated or for those who cannot travel, the services will be live-streamed on Foust Funeral Home’s website (details at link below). Carol loved writing cards and poems to honor others. With that in mind, the family would deeply appreciate written remembrances and stories in lieu of flowers – at https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/grapevine-tx/carol-matthews-10135625 or [email protected] or 5601 Sears Street Ste B, Dallas TX 75206 (c/o Amanda Boso). Thanks go out to the hospice team at Anchor of Hope and the team at Grand Brook Memory Care in Grapevine who made Carol’s last days so peaceful. Thank you to the family and friends that supported Carol, Robert, Eric and Amanda during the time of her illness and passing.
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