Bobbie LaJean Morrison Matthews

On February 2, 2022, Bobbie LaJean Morrison Matthews, completed her circle of life and moved to her Heavenly home where she was joyously reunited with her husband Carl, and many loved ones who awaited her arrival.

Bobbie was born Thursday, June 26, 1930 in the Cross Roads TX community. She was the second and youngest child of Thomas Hampton Morrison and Trixie (Sallie Kate) Wright Morrison. Her family settled in Texas before statehood and she lived her entire life in East Texas. She was a child of the Great Depression but she never spoke of feeling deprived. Her recollections of her upbringing were always bright and happy. Her family lived a simple rural life. They raised livestock, farmed cotton, and grew a huge garden which allowed them to eat like kings. At age 16, she graduated as Salutatorian from Cross Roads High School where she was a 4 year Letterman on the Bobcats Basketball team. After graduation, she attended Drone Business College in Dallas, TX and worked for the telephone company as a switchboard operator during that time. Bobbie and Carl Lee married in Cross Roads on February 9, 1951. He was soon drafted into the Army and served in Korea. During the years that he was away, Bobbie wrote to him every single day. She saved every penny of his military income and used it to purchase an entire house of furniture and a new truck when he returned home. She was employed by Texas Power & Light for several years until the birth of their first child, Tommy. Bobbie and Carl moved to Ponta for a few years, and then to Rusk where they raised their family and grew old together.

Bobbie grew up in the Cross Roads Baptist Church and was saved by Jesus Christ at an early age. She was a member of First United Methodist Church - Rusk,TX since the 1960s. She served on the Finance Board and helped with the Youth Program and Church Fundraisers. Bobbie worked for many years as a Bookkeeper for Tilton Investments and then Trimble CPA Firm in Jacksonville. After her retirement from public work, she maintained books for select clients in her home. Bobbie was the family investor. She was an excellent cook and an expert seamstress. She was a colorful story teller and family historian. She was completely devoted to Carl throughout their 70 year marriage. She loved her children deeply and she treasured her grandchildren and great grandchildren beyond measure. To all of her immediate family, she was known simply as "Ma".

She was preceded in death by her husband, Carl Lee; her parents; her sister, Clara Jo Davis and her granddaughter Megan Collen Wills. She is survived by her son Tommy Matthews and wife Glenda of Rusk; daughter Carla Matthews Wills and husband David of Georgetown, grandson Jonathan Matthews and wife Heather of Tyler; granddaughter Carlen Wills of Georgetown; grandson Macon Wills of Georgetown; great grandchildren Henry and Maggie Coon of Georgetown and Henley Matthews of Tyler; along with several nieces, nephews, and friends.

Bobbie was confident, determined, intelligent, and generous...In some ways she was a woman ahead of her time. In other ways, she was steeped in the valuable lessons of the past. We will always remember her, as her influence on our lives is forever imprinted on our hearts and in our minds.

Proverbs 31:10-31

A memorial graveside service is scheduled for 2:00 p.m., Saturday, February 12, 2022 at Willow Springs Cemetery with Dr. Rev. T.J. Gabelman officiating.