Zelma "Susie" Mings Mathews

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the loss of our dear wife, mother, sister and aunt, Zelma Susie Mings Mathews.

To watch the Recorded Service please click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5s5lWoNFr8

In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to the Mission Fund for the Legacy Department, First Baptist Church. P.O. Box 54866, Hurst, Texas 76054; Books for All, HEB RSE, Box 1412, Bedford, Texas 76095-1412; Texas Retired Teachers Foundation Annual Fund, 313 E. 12th Street, Suite 220, Austin, Texas 78701 or The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, 1300 Summit Avenue, Suite 110, Fort Worth, Texas 76102.

Susie passed away Thursday, November 12, 2020, after a brief illness. Born in Tyler, Texas, on October 3, 1941, to Lois and Claud Mings, Susie was a delight to them as well as to her older sister, Barbara, and eventual younger sister, Carol. Susie married her college sweetheart, Irwin Mathews, September 1, 1962, and together they raised two sons, David and Kevin.

Growing up in Tyler, Susie attended Marsh Elementary, where she was Student Council President; Roberts Junior High, where she was both cheerleader and Student Council Vice President; and John Tyler High School, where she was Head Drum Major for the Blue Brigade, Senior Favorite, DAR recipient, Rotary Award winner, member of the National Honor Society, and recipient of the Good Citizenship Award. Susie then attended Tyler Junior College, graduating Magna Cum Laude with an Associates in Arts and here she was a member of the Apache Belles Drill Team, and received many accolades, including receiving the Alpha Delta Kappa Scholarship two years in a row (the first student to do so), was president of Atta Kula Kula, membership in To-Kalon sorority, Student Education Association and Phi Theta Kappa, and recipient of the Rotary Award. Following TJC, Susie attended North Texas State University (now UNT) graduating Cum Laude in January 1963 with Bachelor of Science and achieving membership in Kappa Delta Pi, an honorary education society. In 1989, Susan graduated from Texas Women's University with a Master of Arts degree with a special concentration in Early Childhood Education.

Susie began her professional career teaching first grade at Bellaire Elementary School in the HEB school district in January 1963, the very next day after graduating from NTSU. She later taught at Lakewood Elementary and then moved to Spring Garden Elementary when it opened in 1982, where she received much recognition including Teacher of the Year 1986-1987 and from where she retired after teaching in HEB for 29 years.

In addition to teaching, Susie was active in her church and community, including her time as Preschool Coordinator at First Baptist Church in Hurst, teaching four year olds at First Methodist Church of Hurst Day School, volunteering as Den Mother in Cub Scouts, being active in Donna Park Elementary PTA, teaching kindergarten Sunday School at First Baptist Church of Hurst for 25 years and teaching Vacation Bible School there for 24 years.

Susie also gave back to her profession by being involved in her schools' PTAs, in Delta Kappa Gamma (an honorary society of women educators), in Texas Retired Teachers Association and in the HEB-Retired School Employees.

Susie enjoyed reading, especially Guidepost magazine and historical novels, playing Bunko (with the Bunco Babes) and bridge, both for over 35 years, Lunch Bunch with her Sunday School friends and traveling. She was especially fond of her trip to Alaska and her retirement trip to Canada. She loved going to high school and family reunions. The first annual Sharp Family Reunion was in 1964, and Susie never missed one.

However, nothing mattered more to Susie than her family, and her favorite pastime of all was spending time with them. She loved celebrating her 58 year marriage to Irwin, and was so appreciative of her son, Kevin, returning to Hurst to offer both her and Irwin some assistance. In addition to Irwin and Kevin, Susie's most memorable times would have been with her two sisters, Barbara and Carol, and their families, celebrating holidays and reliving wonderful times together.

Susie is survived by her husband, Irwin Mathews; her son, Kevin, both of Hurst; her sisters, Barbara Mings Dozier of Tyler and Carol Mings Hodges of Euless; her nieces, Karen Horton, Sharon Van Cleave, and Laurie Prachyl and their husbands; and her great nieces, nephew and cousins in her beloved greater Sharp family. Susie is also survived by Irwin's sister, Ann Harris, her husband, Glenn, their daughters Annetta, Jill and Gayla and their families of Tyler. Susie was preceded in death by her parents, Lois and Claud Mings, and her son, David Mathews. In addition to her family, Susie is survived by countless numbers of dear church, school and educator friends.