Mattie Jane Thomas

Mattie Jane Thomas went to heaven when Jesus came and wrapped his loving arms around her on February 10, 2011 at Woods Hospital. She was 82 years old. She was born on March 22, 1928 in Branford, Florida to the late Luther and Gertrude Clemons. She was a member of Magnolia Baptist Church. She raised five children by herself after her divorce and worked as a manager for Dollar General. She always made sure the children had what they needed, doing without for herself. Any child who needed a place to stay, would be taken in by Mattie and treated as if they were her own. She was a very giving person and never met a stranger. She enjoyed her grandchildren and great grandchildren and helped raise her daughter Annita's children. She enjoyed cooking, search a word books, planting, gardening and canning, and growing roses. She loved listening to gospel music and the Grand Ole Opry, as well as watching church on tv once she became unable to attend. She loved Jesus. She was looking forward to spring planting and had already picked out her seeds. Her family is sure she'll be working in the garden in Heaven. She was known as Maw by her grandkids and Old Maw by her great grandchildren. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her step mother, Hazel Clemons; aunt Ellen (who helped raise her since her mother died when Mattie was 10); adopted brothers, Coy and George; son, Lewis Thomas; granddaughters, Alicia Smith and Lynn Clemons; and father of her children, M. F. Thomas. She leaves behind to miss her, daughter whom she lived with, Annita Jayne Thomas of Ocoee, TN; sons, Corky Thomas and wife Nancy of Old Town, FL, Luther Clemons and wife Wanda of Lake City, FL, and Ladd Clemons of Old Town, FL; sixteen grandchildren, Margery and Chris Crumley, Glen and Amanda Byrd, Jeff Byrd and fiancé Jade Taylor, Kymberleah Thomas, Jonathan Clemons, Damon and Josh Thomas, Danny, Marsha, Nancy, and Diane Clemons, Josh (Leanne), Justin (Stephanie), Jarid and John Grimes; twenty-one great grandchildren, the local ones being, Austin Byrd, Haley and Kailyn Crumley, Emily and Melody Byrd, and Steven and Zachery Smith; sisters in law, Lillian Clemons and Idella Thomas, both of Old Town, FL; and her best friend for 74 years, Ellen Smith of Sebring, FL. Funeral services will be held Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Grissom Funeral Home with Pastor Charles Cheatham officiating. Interment will follow in Lebanon Baptist Church Cemetery with Annita Thomas, Glen Byrd, Jeff Byrd, Austin Byrd, Chris Crumley, Josh Thomas, and Josh Keith serving as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Corky Thomas, Ladd Clemons, Luther Clemons and Ben Ramey. The family will receive friends Wednesday from 12 noon - 2 p.m. at the funeral home prior to the service. To send an online condolence to the family, please visit www.grissomfh.net.