Frances (Skinner) Mathis

Frances Skinner Mathis of Tifton died Wednesday, March 31, 2021 at her home.

Funeral services will be held at 11am Saturday, April 3rd in the chapel of Albritton Funeral Directors of Tifton. Reverend Chad Norris will officiate and a eulogy will be given by her granddaughter, Wendy Norris.  Burial will follow in Zion Hope Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 5 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home on Friday, April 2, 2021.

Grandsons will serve as pallbearers and great-grandsons will serve as honorary pallbearers.

Mrs. Mathis was born October 2, 1922 in Tift County, the daughter of James (Jim) Thomas Skinner and Siller Frances Nolen Skinner, both deceased.  She was also preceded in death by her husband, Lemuel David (Dick) Mathis of Tifton who died in 2001; three brothers, Albert Skinner of Tifton, GA; Johnny Skinner of Tifton, GA, and Chester Skinner of Conyers, GA; and two sisters, Essie Skinner May of Jesup, GA, and Jean Bryant of Conyers, GA.

Mrs. Mathis attended Tifton schools and graduated from Abraham Baldwin College in 1942. She then left Tifton to work for the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Washington, DC. as a fingerprint classifier. In 1944 she came home to marry her high school sweetheart Dick Mathis who had returned from North Africa where he had been serving during WW II.

During her lifetime she was a member of several civic clubs, the most interesting one being the Frisky Red Hatters. She was a fun-loving person and enjoyed planning events for her friends and family.  She loved reunions, dancing, fish suppers and making pecan pies and pound cakes for her big family. Her Sunday School class was very important to her and she was a faithful member of Northside Baptist Church for over 60 years. Shopping trips with her daughter and her sisters were special memories. Mrs. Frances was always very particular about grammar. Mrs. Mathis retired from UGA’s Rural Development Center in 1986. She had also worked at the Coastal Plain Experiment Station and Abraham Baldwin College.

Mrs. Mathis was very thankful for her caregivers Gail Baker and Rhonda Stokes and looked forward to weekly visits from the special nurses and therapists at Georgia Home Health Care.

Survivors include one daughter and son-in-law, Sherrie and Tommy Nalls of Tifton, GA; three sons and daughters–in-law, Steve and Valda Mathis of Norman Park, GA; Mark and Teri Mathis of Tifton, GA; and Brian and Debbie Mathis of Tifton, GA; one sister, Nell Adams of Conyers, GA; and one sister-in-law, Barbara Skinner of Tifton, GA. Also 14 grandchildren: Chad and Johnna Nalls of Calera, AL; Wendy and Chad Norris of Greenville, SC; Erin and Scott Freeman of Adel, GA; Brent and LeAnn Mathis of Byron, GA; Ashley and Brendon Shiver of Tifton, GA; Brad and Laura Mathis of Adel, GA; Cary and Ramsey Bacon of Blackshear, GA; Kayte and Daniel Floyd of Jacksonville, FL; Molly and Chance Veazey of Tifton, GA; Sarah and Wen Carter of Tifton, GA; Jon and Amber Schwalls of Norman Park, GA; Dug and Ashley Schwalls of Norman Park, GA; Del Schwalls of Orlando, FL; and Monica Tugwell of Moultrie, GA., along with 22 great grandchildren.

Flowers are accepted or donations may be made to Northside Baptist Church Building Fund, 4605 Murray Ave., Tifton, Ga. 31794.

Albritton Funeral Directors is in charge of the arrangements.