Cornelia Zabenko

Cornelia Mathis Zabenko, age 87, died on October 9, 2004, from complications following a series of strokes. She was preceded in death only six weeks ago by her husband of 62 years, Leon L. Zabenko. Born on September 18, 1917, Cornelia Zabenko was the oldest of three children born to Bascom Vernando and Isabella Graham Mathis. She graduated from Covington County High School and Troy State College for Teachers in Alabama. She worked for five years as a teacher and on the Newcastle Air Base. After World War II, she worked for the Baldwin Piano Company and the Human Resources department in the Florida state government. A member of several heritage and lineage societies, she was proud of her affiliation with the Daughters of the American Revolution, serving as a former president of the Regent Chapter in Tallahassee; First Families of Georgia; and the Signers of the Mayflower Compact. A past president of the Tucker Chapter of the Colonial Dames, she was a member of the Dames? Court of Honor.  She is survived by five nieces and nephews; Gayle Mathis Wherry, Allan Gordon Mathis, Jr., Lee DeWitt Mathis, Laura Mathis Meier, and Cornelia Ann (Cam) Mathis Brannen; other nieces and nephews by marriage; and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews. The funeral will be held at Briarcliff United Methodist Church at 2:00 pm on Monday, October 11, the Rev. Sondra Jones, presiding.  Memorials may be directed to Briarcliff United Methodist Church, 4105 Briarcliff Road, NE, Atlanta, GA. Arrangements are by A. S. Turner and Sons.