Mattie Lou Ward Maness

SERVICES: 2:00 PM Friday, January 23, 2004, at Carmichael-Whatley Colonial Chapel, with Rev. Richard Bartel, pastor of the Calvary Baptist Church, officiating.BURIAL: Fairview Cemetery under the direction of Carmichael-Whatley Funeral Directors.BIOGRAPHY: Mrs. Maness was born March 20, 1916 in McNairy County, Tennessee, to John Gilbert & Dona Hunter Ward. She was an outstanding basketball player during her school years at Finger, Tennessee, and went on to become a teacher and basketball coach in the Finger schools after receiving her teaching certificate from Freed-Hardeman College in Henderson, Tennessee in 1940. She will be remembered for her love of children and of teaching. Indeed, she is remembered in the book, First A Dream, printed in 2002, authored by Jim Clayton, one of her first grade students, describing her as, "sweet, tolerant, patient, yet completely in charge." She married Troy Edward Maness in Corinth, Miss. on October 18, 1947, giving up her beloved teaching career to become a homemaker in the Panhandle of Texas. She and her husband lived and farmed outside White Deer until retiring in 1980, and moving to Pampa in 1981, where they lived for 20 years and were members of Calvary Baptist Church. Due to health reasons, they moved to Amarillo in March of 2001 to be closer to their children in their later years. Mrs. Maness was preceded in death by her parents, two brothers, Leonard Ward and John Gilbert Ward, Jr., and seven sisters, Lottie Joyner, Effie Freeman, Myrtle Smith, Annie Roland, Lettie Lofton, Hazel Womble and Crystal Redmon, and her precious granddaughter, Keitha Jo Davis. SURVIVORS: Husband Troy Maness of the home; one son, Joe Gary Davis and wife Linda, one daughter, Linda Autry and husband Dave, all of Amarillo; two sisters, Bonnie Marie Cupples and Mary Orell Webb, both of Memphis, Tennessee, and a very special sister-in-law, Florence Ward of Finger, Tennessee; 7 grandchildren: Shane Walker, Cody Walker and wife Cynthia, Beth Henderson and husband Scott, and David T. Autry, all of Amarillo; Brian Autry and wife Angela of Bremerton, Washington, Laurie Callen and husband Ross of Coppell, and Janan Scott and husband Trent of Lubbock; 10 great grandchildren: Dillon and Taylor Walker, Ashley and Sawyer Henderson, David M. Autry, Preston Callen, Tyler and Shelby Scott and Conner and Sammy Autry. The family wishes to express their gratitude to Dewain and Carolyn Callen of Amarillo, who have lovingly cared for her in their home for the past two years.MEMORIALS: The Ronald McDonald House, 1501 Streit Drive, Amarillo, Texas 79106.