Jacqueline Way "Jac" Mathews

Funeral services for Mrs. "Jac" Mathews, age 85 of Crockett and formerly of Centerville, have been set for 10:30 AM, Saturday, January 20, 2018, at the Walters Funeral Home in Centerville. Jared Bollman, of the Church of Christ in Centerville, will officiate. Burial will be in the Centerville Cemetery. A visitation when the family will receive friends is scheduled for 5 PM until 7 PM, Friday, January 19, 2018, at the funeral home.

Jacqueline Way Mathews, known as “Jac, " was born in Centerville, Texas on June 15, 1932. She was the only child of Clarence and Essie (Smith) Way. "Jac" died in Palestine on January 14, 2018. She was raised in Centerville and graduated Salutatorian of her high school class in 1949. She attended Texas State College for Women (now known as Texas Woman’s University) in Denton, Texas. She received a B.S. Degree in Vocational Home Economics with a minor in Chemistry in 1953. "Jac" received her Masters Degree in Education at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville in 1965.

Her first teaching experience was in Novice, Texas in Coleman County where she taught three years. It was there that she met and married Lynn Mathews who was also a teacher. They later taught in Jewett, Texas for one year before moving to Centerville. "Jac" taught in Centerville 33 years before retiring in 1990. Lynn, who had also retired from teaching in Centerville, passed away in 1994. "Jac" continued to live in Centerville until 2013, before entering Community Care Center in Crockett where she lived until her death.

"Jac" was active in her profession and was given honorary memberships to the State Future Homemakers, the National Future Homemakers and the State Young Homemakers. After her retirement from the school, she served as president of the Centerville Cemetery Board. She was also a member of the Home Extension Club in Centerville and surrounding area and served on the Economic Development Council. She participated in many local activities and was sometimes known as the local “wedding planner”. She helped plan and gave advice for over 30 weddings...which she thoroughly enjoyed.

In addition to her husband, Lynn, "Jac" was preceded in death by her parents, mother, Essie Way, who died in 1972 and father, Clarence Way, who died in 1980. She is survived by two sons, Way Lynn Mathews and his wife, Pat, of Quinlan, Texas and Sidney Mathews of Austin; two grandsons, Daniel Mathews and his wife, Betsy, of Dickinson and Stephen Mathews of Austin; a brother-in-law, James Mathews and his wife, Alice of Plano; a sister-in-law, Jean Cox and her husband, Ray, of Lakewood, California; other nieces, nephews and cousins and a host of friends.

Serving as pallbearers are Robert Campbell, Joe Langley, Owen Dean Kornegay, Mike Wilson, Phillip Mullen and Roy Bain Carrigan.

In lieu of flowers, a memorial honoring Jacqueline can be made to: MD Anderson Cancer Center, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486. Specify Ovarian Cancer Research on the MEMO line of your check.

Walters Funeral Home in Centerville, Texas is in charge of all funeral arrangements.