Thelma Matthies' Obituary
Thelma Jean Matthies passed away peacefully in her home at Whiterock Court of Dallas in the afternoon hours on January 20th, 2022. Jean had a kind heart and made it her main priority to care for her husband, Dick, up until the very end of his life in 2020, their family, friends and in most recent years the other residents of their retirement home. Her room was flooded with greeting cards and homemade art and cards from everyone that loved her and wanted to make sure she knew it; their words are a testament to all of the amazing friendships she cultivated over her 84 years. Jean was young at heart, probably because she was married to the silliest man on the planet for 62 years and always played along with his jokes and pranks like a good sport. She was witty and at times a bit stubborn, the most generous woman, constantly proving this by opening her home to someone that may need a room or taking care of the neighborhood stray cat or dropping baked goods off to her neighbors. Her people cherished the time that they had with her and miss her more and more with each passing day. Jean was born near Waxahachie, TX on May 13th, 1937. She grew up in Texas and went to W.H. Adamson High School where she was a cheerleader and made lifelong friends, several of which she still kept in contact. She met her soul mate, Dick, when they were both working at Vinson Supply Company in August of 1957 and they were married by that Christmas. The next year, their family grew, and Jean found her true calling in this life as a mother. Over the course of their marriage they raised two sons, Rick and Dudley, impacted the lives of countless people through their mission work, made long-lasting friendships particularly with members of their church and through the Methodist Youth Fellowship program. Jean loved to travel all over the country, she was an inquisitive puzzler, an incredible sewist and loved to play games especially dominos, Farkle and Pick Up Sticks. Jean and Dick were also sports fanatics and loved every Texas team but especially the Texas Rangers, the Dallas Mavericks and the Dallas Stars. Many of her family’s fondest memories of the couple were simply of them sitting in their living room, each in a cozy recliner, cheering on their favorite teams. She was front row, center at every single sporting event of her children and grandchildren even during hot Texas summers, and enjoyed hosting the family at their house for holidays, birthdays, and any other excuse she could find to get everyone together. Jean always put her family first but enjoyed working either through volunteer work or at the part-time job she held for years at JC Penny. She reminisced about summers at Holly Lake, trips visiting their best friends, Donna and Earl, in Las Vegas, taking family skiing trips to New Mexico and having afternoon coffee with her dearest friends. She also loved golfing and was an amazing bowler. It was important to her to include her kids and grandchildren in the hobbies that she so enjoyed. Jean is survived by her, sons, Rick Matthies and Dudley Matthies and wife Melissa and her sister, Jo Adkins. “Mamaw” is survived by her grandchildren, Rick and wife Emily, Torey and wife Caroline, Tyler and wife Lesley, Nicki and husband Jeremy, Whitney, Hanna, Trevor, Amber and great-grandchildren Jaxon, Eden, Olivia, Mila, Charlie, Camilla, Brielle, Myles and Bennett. She is preceded in death by, parents, W.A. and Beulah Thompson, her in-laws, Max and Elise Matthies, her brothers, Walter Lee Atkins and Coy Thompson, her sister in-law, Sydney and husband Dutch Meyer and greeted her daughter in-law, Kim Matthies, at the gates of Heaven.
What’s your fondest memory of Thelma?
What’s a lesson you learned from Thelma?
Share a story where Thelma's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Thelma you’ll never forget.
How did Thelma make you smile?