Shirley Ann Mathews

SHIRLEY ANN FANT MATHEWS

Died peacefully at her home in Santa Fe on Tuesday, December 11. She was the devoted wife of Robert Wayne Mathews for 54 years.

Shirley was born Oct. 11, 1937 in West Monroe, Louisiana. She attended West Monroe High School, graduating in 1956. She then attended Northeastern Louisiana University, where she was an active member of the AOPi Sorority. She married Robert Mathews in 1958. The young couple moved to Dallas, Texas, where Shirley worked as a secretary in the executive offices of Sanger-Harris department stores. She had three children: Sandra Kay born in 1959, Gregory Wayne in 1960 and Ann Louise in 1963. The family moved to Los Alamos in 1961, where Shirley devoted herself to raising her family. She returned to work in 1978 as a secretary at Los Alamos National Laboratory. She retired in 1993 and moved to Santa Fe with her husband and son. In her retirement, she volunteered at an AIDS relief agency and traveled to Washington DC in 1996 to view the AIDS quilt. She also developed herself as an artist by studying with a local master. She traveled to Italy with the University of Michigan to study Renaissance altar pieces. She also studied painting techniques at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington DC. She made two trips to Germany to see churches, castles and friends. She also made a trip to Cooperstown, New York to watch one of her grandsons win a national baseball tournament. She remained devoted to her husband and family, immensely enjoying her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Shirley is preceded by her son, Gregory Wayne Mathews; granddaughter, Sarah Ann Ortiz Stump; father, Thomas Major Fant; mother, Maudie Louise Posey; and brothers: Thomas and Robert Fant.

She is survived by her husband, Robert Wayne Mathews; daughter, Sandra Mathews Ortiz; son-in-law, Robert William Ortiz; daughter, Ann Mathews Torres; son-in-law, Ernesto Torres; grandchildren: Robby Ortiz and wife Samantha, Matthew Ortiz and wife Rachel, Sebastian and Cameron Torres; great grandchildren: Sariah, Myrakahl and Beloved Stump; brother, Joe Fant and wife Sylvia; sisters-in-law: Ruth Fant and Sue Fant; numerous nephews, nieces, cousins and friends.

A Memorial Service was held on December 16, 2012 at the New Life Family Fellowship in Santa Fe. A reception followed.