Lawrence Mathews' Obituary
Lawrence “Butch, Coach, or Larry” Mathews was born July 23, 1939, in Picher, Oklahoma to Lawrence Helms and Reva Almeda (Wilson) Helms who divorced shortly after his birth. His mother Reva remarried James “Bud” Perry Mathews who legally adopted him and became Butch’s father. Butch lovingly referred to Bud as Daddy Mathews. He was reared and educated in Picher, Oklahoma, and graduated with the Picher High School Class of 1957. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Education from Northeastern State University and received his Masters from Kansas State College of Pittsburg. He was only a few hours shy of earning his doctorate. Butch’s marriage to Pamela Kirkendoll blessed him with a daughter Melissa and a son Shan. Butch loved sports! All sports … any sports … and anyone who knew him would tell you, he was obsessed with the St. Louis Cardinals! He even named his son Shan after Cardinal’s player Mike Shannon. He also loved his OU Sooners and OKC Thunder. Butch thoroughly enjoyed food, with bacon, cheeseburgers, and Pepsi always at the top of his list. His favorite place to eat was Ron’s and he was never shy to let you know that it was okay to bring him some Ron’s if you were coming by to see him! Butch was a teacher, a coach and a principal most of his working life. He worked at school districts in Baxter Springs, KS, Miami OK and Okmulgee, OK. He left his career in education to pursue new interests and had many varied jobs, but he was especially proud of his time working for the state of Oklahoma as a DHS Job Coach for persons with mental and physical disabilities. It was during this season he started to experience seizures and became aware that his memory was seriously failing, so his family realized they needed to step in and help. Being the independent man he was, he balked at moving in or away with family. He insisted on staying on his own in his apartment in Tulsa. Once diagnosed with grand mal seizures and a form of Alzheimer’s called Pick’s disease, his niece Sareva Greenhaw became his legal guardian and caregiver in August of 1999. Their goal was to keep Butch living independently for as long as possible. Late in 2015 Butch started to experience other health issues and was diagnosed with Congestive Heart Failure. Since then there have been a host of health issues and his body and mind were growing weak. He died peacefully at 6:45 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, 2017, at St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at 78 years of age. Sareva was there at his side and watched him take his final breath. They accomplished their goal!Loving family members include: His Children; Melissa Hatting and husband Tom of Ashton, Iowa Shan Mathews of Issaquah, Washington His Grandchildren; Clayton Bradbury and wife Jenny, and their daughter Avery of Richmond, Texas Bryant Bradbury of Sheldon, Iowa Alicia Winter and husband Steve, and their daughters Alexis and Chloe of Ashton, Iowa Dalton Hatting of Ashton Iowa Connor Mathews, of Issaquah, Washington His Sister, Nieces and Nephews; Sally Lou Barr and husband Bill, and their son Matt of Kissimmee, FL and daughters Sareva Greenhaw and husband Mark of Tulsa, OK, and their son Tyler and his wife Victoria of Owasso, OK Sandee Sims and husband Cary of Owasso, OK, and their daughters Brittney Kiersey and husband Dustin and their two daughters of Owasso, OK Aubrey Burns and husband Logan and their three sons of Owasso, OK Haley Connor and husband TJ and their daughter of Collinsville, OK Destiney Montgomery and husband Kyle and their daughter, due at any moment, of Owasso, OK Wendy Pruitt and husband Doug of Owasso, OK, and their daughter and three sons Brittany Suarez and husband Yashua and their daughter plus one on the way of Cabot, Arkansas Dakota Pruitt and his son of the home Devin Pruitt of the home Dillon Pruitt and fiancé Sydney O’Daniel both of Tulsa, OK Special friends; Judge Jon Douthitt of Claremore, OK Jerry Hicks of Marshall, Missouri Mark Harper of Broken Arrow, OK Special caregivers; Cheryl, Amanda, Blanca, Monica, Debbie, Jacob, Pat, Fran, Lisa, KevinHe was preceded in death by his parents Bud and Reva, his great nephew Cody Greenhaw, his longtime dear friend Howard Hudson, and his biological father Lawrence. Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 17, 2017, at Floral Haven in Broken Arrow, OK. Funeral service will be held 3:00 p.m. Friday, August 18, 2017, at Floral Haven Chapel with Pastor James Lacey officiating.Visitation will be held on Thursday, August 17, from 5 pm – 8pm at Floral Haven Funeral Home. A service will be held in his honor on Friday, August 18, at 3 pm at the Floral Haven Chapel.
What’s your fondest memory of Lawrence?
What’s a lesson you learned from Lawrence?
Share a story where Lawrence's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Lawrence you’ll never forget.
How did Lawrence make you smile?