Audrey Lee Mathews

Updated 9/26/2023 (CLM)Photo is from from 1983 celebrating 50th Wedding Anniversary. http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=28824817 Granny was born in South Central Tennessee, and moved to Central Florida soon after. It should be pointed out that there is no Birth Certificate for her, but only an entry in a Family Bible. The story was that a Doctor told her Father he needed to move to Florida for his health.Her Father's response at the time was to "Think About It." Later on the Sheriff found his "Still" , and this persuaded him to come to Florida. To support the family she and her sister Marie had to quit school, and work in a citrus packing plant. She married W.W.Mathews and had seven children. In the last twenty years of her life she lived with her youngest daughter Donna, and passed away in 2008 due to a broken hip. She is buried next to her husband at Eagle Lake. Her Find A Grave # is 28824817 The following is her Obituary. WINTER HAVEN - Audrey Lee Mathews, 91, of Winter Haven died Sunday, August 3, 2008 at Winter Haven Hospital due to heart failure.

Born April 15, 1917 in Minor Hill, TN, she moved to the area when she was 12 years old. She was a member of Inman Park Church of Christ and was a fruit packer and formerly worked for Peoples packing Co. in Lakeland and Diamond Fruit Co. in Winter Haven. Preceded in death by her husband William Willard Mathews and a son, William Arthur Mathews, she is survived by three sons, Lonnie Mathews and his wife Pam of Winter Haven, Vernon Mathews and his wife Virginia of Pensacola, FL and Van Mathews and his wife Janet of Lake Wales, FL; three daughters, Rheba Stancliff and her husband Fred of Pensacola, Fl, Melba Jucknath and her husband Perry of Homeland, FL and Donna Freeman and her husband Mark of Winter Haven; a daughter in law, Elaine Mathews; twenty-two grandchildren; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; and seven great-great grandchildren. The family will receive friends from 5 00pm till 7 00pm, Thursday at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, 2425 Havendale Boulevard, Winter Haven. Funeral Services will be at 10 00am, Friday, August 8, 2008 in the Funeral Home Chapel with Charles Goodall officiating. Interment will follow at the Eagle Lake Church of Christ Cemetery. http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/theledger/obituary.aspx?n=audrey-l... Note: There is an unmarked headstone in the Mathews' plot. The story varies but a man from New York with either Cancer or TB came to Eagle Lake.The man may have been a member of the Church of Christ or knew a member at Eagle Lake , and bought the plot.The paper work was lost and no one knows who the man was. Audrey lived during the "Jim Crow Era" but made friends with everyone , and lived by the "Golden Rule." Once while working in a packing plant an African-American woman would come to sell sandwiches. Audrey would come hug the woman,talk a few minutes buy a sandwich and eat with the woman.One time a co-worker questioned "Why she would hug that "N" Word woman."Audrey would say one she makes a good sandwich.Two Audrey did not like the "N" Word. The African-American woman made Audrey a special sandwich and remained friends. Audrey would defend anyone if something untrue about a family member.