Elizabeth McLean's Obituary
Elizabeth “Beth” Campbell (Matson) McLean, age 85, passed away March 24, 2021, at Iris Memory Care in Rowlett, Texas, after fighting a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She was born on July 2, 1935, in Atlanta, Georgia to Ray and Elizabeth Matson. She graduated from
Highland Park High School and then attended Austin College in Sherman, Texas, where she met the love of her life, Jim McLean. After graduating from college, she married her prince-charming on June 14, 1957. Their family grew to 4 with the birth of their daughters,
Phyllis and Ginna. She was an avid seamstress and even made her own wedding gown. Her sewing talent continued as she made most of the clothes for her girls and for herself. She eventually learned to crochet and made an afgan for everyone she knew and donated
over a hundred of them to various hospitals and nursing centers. She and Jim were charter members of St. Barnabas United Presbyterian Church in Richardson, Texas, where she was a faithful member of the choir and served as an elder for several terms. She and
Jim became world travelers and took trips every summer, exploring new countries, filling albums full of pictures, and creating cherished memories. Beth’s love of children was evident in the hundreds of children she taught in Dallas ISD, Preston Hollow Day
School, and University Park Elementary, where she was Teacher of The Year in 1991. She tied thousands of shoes and pulled hundreds of teeth as she set a positive foundational beginning of education in the lives of all those kindergarten children. We know she
is in heaven telling everyone to sit down and stop talking, arranging them in a “boy - girl - boy - girl” seating arrangement!! Her claim to fame was teaching Matthew Stafford (the quarterback of the L.A. Rams). She made sure to always weave that fact into
as many conversations as she could! Beth certainly had a servant’s heart as she loved volunteering at the Eisemann Performing Arts Center, the Richardson Fire and Police Academies, Network Ministries, and chairing the Angel Tree Ministry at Christmas, She
is survived by her daughters Phyllis Robertson and husband Ken of Granbury, Texas, Ginna Dowell and husband Barry of Farmersville, Texas; grandchildren Sarah Tucker and husband Tony of Maypearl, Texas, Kerrick Robertson and wife Alyssa of Dallas, Texas, Keanan
Dowell and wife Kate of Longview, Texas, and Danielle Waters and husband Doug of Jersey City, New Jersey; great grand-children Camille, Eli, Jack, Avery, and Olivia. She is preceded in death by her husband Jim McLean, sister Florence Matson Knight, and parents
Ray Matson and Elizabeth Strouss Matson. A celebration of Beth’s life will take place at a visitation at Restland Funeral Home, Dallas, Texas, on Sunday, March 28 from 2:00-4:00. A graveside service is planned for Monday, March 29, at Restland Memorial Cemetery,
Dallas, Texas at 10:00 am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks for donations to be made in Beth’s memory to Iris Memory Care, 4906 Miller Road, Rowlett, Texas, 75088
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