Dora Gaye Ashabranner Mattheus

Friday, February 28, 2014

Mrs. Dora Gaye Ashabranner Mattheus, 88, of Manila, passed from this life Thursday Feb. 27, 2014, at the NEA Baptist Memorial Hospital in Jonesboro. Born Feb. 20, 1926, in Manila, she was the daughter of Ed and Mary Louise Pierce Ashabranner and had been a lifelong Manila resident. She was the widow of Kenneth Mattheus and was a longtime member of the First United Methodist Church. In addition to her parents and husband she was preceded in death by a brother, Eddie Ashabranner; a nephew, Wendell Ashabranner; and a son, Kenny Mattheus.

She leaves one daughter and son-in-law, Janiece and Andy Flannigan of Manila;

Five grandchildren, Shannon Hill of Fayetteville, Richie and Candy Pierce of Little Rock, Michelle and Gary Barks of Manila, Tiffany and Derek Blancett of Jonesboro and Hannah Flannigan of Manila;

Siix great-grandchildren, Matthew Hill, Gabrielle and Kendall Pierce, Elizabeth, Andrew and Sydney Barks;

Two nieces and their husbands, Sheila and Larry Bourland of York, Pa., and Thelma and Randy Veach of Manila;

Her sister-in-law, Jessie Ashabranner of Manila; and

Her brothers-in-law and their wives, Denny and Brenda Mattheus of Paragould and Donnie and Ludie Mattheus of Manila.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 2, 2014, at the First United Methodist Church in Manila with the Rev Jerry Pentecost and Randy Veach officiating. Burial will follow in Manila Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 6-8 p.m. Saturday at the Howard Funeral Service Chapel in Manila. The family prefers any memorials be made to the First United Methodist Church in Manila. Guests may register at www.HowardFuneralService.com