Above all Ency Rebecca Jamison Matthews was a teacher. And a learner. She couldn't help it. Many of us are eternally grateful that she chose to share what she had learned and , even more, for her infectious love of learning.
Becky (she was "Ency" to her brothers and sister, "Rebecca" to some) died February 20, 2017 around noon in her own bed in the home she shared with her friend and daughter-in-law, Shirley Matthews, her grandson, Shawn and his wife Juli. She was 98 years old and was wise and witty almost to the end.
A longer eulogy is posted on her facebook page: search for Ency Rebecca Matthews.
There will be a visitation on Thursday Feb 23 from 5:00 to 7:00 at Klingner-Cope Family Funeral Home at Rivermonte, 4500 S. Lone Pine Ave, Springfield. The funeral services will be on Friday, Feb 24 at 2:00 at the First Christian Church of Republic, 443 N. Main Avenue, Republic, with burial to follow at Eastlawn Cemetery, 2244 E. Pythian St, Springfield.
A donation to a nature-related cause would be appropriate in lieu of flowers; she loved Greater Ozark Audubon Society's education programs and the Springfield Conservation Nature Center.