Floreed (Holtzclaw) Mathews

Floreed Holtzclaw Mathews, first born of Willie (Billy) and Alma (Howard) Holtzclaw was born September 8, 1936 in Titus, AL and was educated in the Elmore County Public Schools. At age 12, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal savior and became a baptized member of the family church co-founded by her ancestors, Union No. 1 Missionary Baptist Church of Titus where she faithfully remained until answering heaven’s call on November 4, 2019 at her home. She was united in Holy Matrimony to the late William Mathews, Sr. in 1954 and this union was blessed with five children: Jean, William, Jr., Steve, Dinese and Larry Alan.

The family relocated to Sylacauga in the late 1960’s where she remained for the rest of her life enjoying her role as devoted wife and mother. She later thoroughly enjoyed her employment as a Bus Driver for the Alabama Department of Transportation (Talladega County Schools) until retirement in 2001. Many children and parents in the Sylacauga community still affectionately appreciate “Mrs. Mathews” for her gentle love and skillful protective care in transporting their children. She was a strong, independent and confident person who met no strangers and was widely known in the surrounding communities-at-large for her friendly, comical and outgoing personality.

She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, two sons (Larry Alan & Steve) and her brother, Howard Holtzclaw.

Forever mourning her fond memories are her three children: Jean (Tommy Harbor) Mathews; William (Annette) Mathews, Jr. and Dinese (Ronnie) Smith, all of Sylacauga; three granddaughters: Arngeletta Datcher of Sylacauga, Rhonda McGee of Birmingham and Ashley (Kelsey) Merritt of Pyeongtaek, South Korea; four grandsons: Adam (Brandy) Smith of Phoenix City, Sierra Young of Sylacauga; Vincent Rice of Athens and Michael Rice of Atlanta, GA; nine great grandchildren; two sisters: Willie Mae Byrd of Atlanta, GA and Mary Ruth Hunt of Yonkers, NY; one daughter-in law, Judy Mathews of Sylacauga; two aunts: Thelma Mathews of Buffalo, NY and Charlie Mae Crayton of Rockford; one brother in law, Samuel Mathews of Buffalo, NY, one sister-in-law, Tina Holtzclaw of Columbus, OH and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

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