Rushing, Mattie

Mattie Rushing

Services: Have been held.

Mattie Carrington Rushing, 106, of Friona, Texas, died Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2005, at Prairie Acres Nursing Home in Friona.

She was born on June 1, 1898, in Natural Dam, Ark., to Stephen and Serena (Ausmus) Carrington. She married Eric Vance Rushing on May 30, 1917, in Francis, Okla. Family members said she was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church and was proud of having lived in parts of three centuries. She earned her teacher’s degree at East Central Oklahoma Teachers College in Ada, Okla., and taught at a one-room school house in nearby Francis. In 1926 the family moved to Friona, owning and operating a general mercantile store on Main Street. From 1933 to 1941 they lived in Farwell while Mr. Rushing served as county and district clerk for Parmer County. Afterwards, the family bought a ranch south of Clovis and lived there until she moved as a widow to Clovis. She lived in her own home until she was 102, when she returned to Friona to live at the Prairie Acres Nursing Home, and to be near her grandsons and their families.

She was preceded in death by her husband; a son, Eric M. Rushing; a daughter, Roberta Holland; and two grandsons, William Rushing and James Holland.

Survivors include a daughter, Bonna Lee Holland of Annapolis, Md.; seven grandchildren, Eric V. Rushing and George Rushing, both of Friona, Janet Phipps of Muskogee, Okla., Jane McGirk of Kalona, Iowa, John Holland of Houston, Gail Reichard of Fredrick, Md., and Barbara Perry of Annapolis; 14 great-grandchildren; and 14 great-great-grandchildren.

The Rev. Steve Patterson will officiate the services.

Burial will be at 2 p.m. (CST) in Mission Garden of Memories Cemetery in Clovis.

Memorial contributions may be made to Gideons, International, Prairie Acres or a favorite charity.

Arrangements are by Blackwell Funeral Home of Friona.