Mattie Lee Suttle

Mattie Lee Suttle

Born: June 16, 1929 &

Passed from this life: July 14, 2019

Mattie was the oldest daughter of Lonnie Ray and Lola Green Crabb. They lived in Hopkins County, on a farm in the Sulphur Springs area of East Texas. Mattie attended Sulphur Springs High School and graduated in 1946, the same year that she married Willis D. Suttle. He had returned from the Navy, having served during WWII when she met him. Soon they knew that they loved each other and they married on August 1, 1946. Mattie lost her husband in January of 1992.

She has been described by her sister, Mary Ellen Ledford of Irving, Texas, as a fantastic sister. Their younger brother, Joe Crabb, passed away at age 50 in 1987. His sisters grew even closer as they shared their sorrow as well as their memories of family times with Joe and their parents on the farm.

The children of Lonnie and Lola grew up during the Depression era of 1930s and the early years of WWII. So their memories were mixed with both the happy and the sad times of hardship and struggle. As they grew older, Mattie, Mary and Joe were baptized into Christ on the same day that their mom and dad were baptized. Mattie recalled that day through the years, sharing the story with her daughter and with others.

After Mattie and Willis (known as Demp of Dempsey) moved to Dallas a few years after their marriage, Mattie worked at Southwestern Bell as an office clerk, typist and a secretary for many years and then at AT&T as an administrative assistant until she retired in around 1985; having worked for the company for over thirty years. She didn’t remain retired, though. She worked for USF&G in Commerce, TX for several years before she retired again. Mattie was about to begin a new chapter in her life that she would treasure always: to help in the care of her granddaughters, Jessica and Lexi.

As Lexi and Jess grew up, they called her “Ma.” Their Ma and their grandmother, Elaine or “Mimi” had the blessing of taking them to the LaPrada Drive Church of Christ Summer Work during the girls’ growing up years. It was a wonderful time that Lexi and Jessica remember vividly. Mattie and Elaine often talked about those times with the girls, thankful for those days.

In 2009, Mattie was in the same hospital during the time of her great-grandson’s birth. Declan was born on June 10, six days before Mattie’s birthday on June 16. During that hospitalization, Mattie had surgery for a broken leg. Only hours later, Declan was born. Afterwards, Mattie lived with Sherry and John and Declan for a while. How she enjoyed getting to be there, watching Declan grow from an infant to a toddler. She treasured those memories dearly.

Mattie liked to talk about her childhood, too.

As a child, Mattie loved the outdoors. She had memories of difficult times, though, such as the day when she walked behind a mule that kicked her in the head, making her lose consciousness for a while. When she woke up, she recalled that her dad was picking her up. She was okay, but the memory remained with her as she told her family of the event. Mattie recalled that one of their cows stepped on her back, but she still kept going, enjoying the outdoors.

Living on the farm also taught Mattie, Mary and Joe to be resourceful. Mattie didn’t lose her calm when faced with challenges such as the times she took care a snakes many years later when they would come up to the porch on her place in Campbell, Texas. She would simply take a hoe and end matters promptly.

On another occasion, she took care of a snake that had found its way into her room at the assisted living place she was staying at the time. Telling the story to her family, she stated that she rolled over the snake with her wheelchair and finished the job with a grabber that she kept with her. It really came in handy that day. As the story spread through the place, Mom said that one of the employees walked into her room and smiled at her in admiration. To Mattie, though, it was just taking care of something that needed to be done.

The funeral director asked Mattie’s daughter, Elaine, to tell him about her mother’s interests in life. She told him that God and Jesus Christ, attending the church services whenever her health permitted and her focus on her family, church family and friends and others whom she met were interwoven so strongly into her daily life.

When Mattie was face with s severe health challenge in 2009 and 2010, she discussed the topic of quality of life. She said that to her, if she could attend the church services, she would have a good quality of life.

In the following years, her statement rang true as she tried to attend the services whenever she could. Thankfully, she was able to go to the church services almost to the end of her life. She was so happy to visit the La Prada Drive congregation again recently and talk with her brothers and sisters in Christ about past times and also what was going on in her life at that time and what was going on in their lives, too. In addition, Mattie was very glad that she had been able to attend the church services at the Carpenter Street Church of Christ in Bridgeport, Texas and to visit the Anna Street Church of Christ in Denton. She also treasured her memories of years ago when she attended the Seymour Church of Christ in East Texas. This was Mattie’s life, and she cherished the moments and thanked God for them.

One of her last times to attend the church services was on her 90th birthday on June 16, 2019. She and several of her family members attended the church service at the Anan Street congregation and then went out to the have a birthday lunch. She enjoyed so much.

During Mattie’s final illness, she was in hospice care briefly at the skilled nursing center, Grace Care Center, in Nocona, Texas. The nurses and other employees and the residents loved her. They said she touched their hearts. She loved them, too, and was happy to have met them.

Mattie loved people and they loved her. She lived a Christian life on a daily basis so that those at Grace Care Center could see Mattie’s strong faith in God and Jesus Christ.

Mattie’s family would like to thank everyone for the loving support you all have shown through the years. We love all of you.

May God bless you.

Several of Mattie’s family members

Mattie’s child, son-in-law, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchildren:

Elaine Crouch, daughter of Mattie and Willis D. Suttle

Elaine’s husband, Steve Crouch

Sherry Cullen, granddaughter – Declan, son of Sherry and John

Jason Crouch, grandson – his daughters, Jessica Crouch and

Lexi Wilson – her son, Eli, and her soon to be born baby daughter.

Lexi’s husband, David Wilson

Mattie ‘s sister, Mary Ellen Ledford and Mattie’s niece and nephews and their families:

Mary Ellen Ledford, widow of Jack Ledford

Robert Ledford, Mary’s son and Mattie’s nephew

Chris and Mariel Ledford, Robert’s son and daughter-in-law

Matt and Angie Ledford, Robert’s son and daughter-in-law and their baby daughter, Penelope Jean Ledford

Kathleen Stevens, Mary’s daughter and Mattie’s niece

Victoria Rios (deceased), daughter of Kathleen Stevens

Liz, Jessica, David and Jacob – daughters and son and grandson of Kathleen Stevens

Joe Crabb, Mattie and Mary’s brother and his sons

Ronnie Crabb (deceased)

Jim Crabb

Since family ties go back generation after generations, many names are not included on these pages, but their lives have influenced ours by their examples and stories that other family members have shared with us. It’s wonderful to think that Mattie’s life and strong faith will be shared with others today and as long as God wills this earth to last.