Howard Mathews

Mr. Howard Lester Mathews, Jr. of Ellijay, formerly of Atlanta, passed away August 4, 2004 at the North Georgia Medical Center after several years of failing health. Howard was born on May 29, 1912 to Jennie Crook Mathews and Howard Mathews, Sr. When Howard was 9 weeks old his father passed away from complications of typhoid fever. His mother never remarried. Howard graduated from Tech High School in 1929 where he received several awards. He went to work for the Coca Cola Co in Atlanta in 1941. The same year he married his longtime sweet heart DeAlva Cummins. He retired in 1976 from the Coca Cola Co. after 35 years. Howard was a member of Oak Grove United Methodist Church in Decatur and regularly attended for 30 years.  In 1999, he and DeAlva moved to Ellijay to live with Johnnie and Horace Ellington who had been caring for them for several years. DeAlva passed away in 2000. He is survived by his daughter and son-in-law, Linda and Fred Peeples and granddaughter Ann of Greenville, SC; friend and guardian, Johnnie Ellington and her husband Horace of Ellijay; and many cousins in the Metro area. Funeral services will be held in the chapel of A. S. Turner & Sons at 1 p.m. Saturday, August7th, Dr. H. Dan Rice officiating. Interment New Smyrna Cemetery in Smyrna. In lieu of flowers, contributions May be made to Oak Grove United Methodist Church Fellowship Sunday School Class, 1722 Oak Grove Rd., Decatur, GA 30033. The family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 12 Noon and 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at A. S. Turner & Sons.