Mary Ella Matthews - Obituary

ary Ella Clark Matthews was born on January 16, 1924 in Oxon Hill, MD, the daughter of the late Milton John Clark and Mamie Johnson Shorter Clark. Mary attended Prince Georges County Public Schools, graduating from Frederick Douglas High School in 1941. She was a devout Catholic, a member of St. Ignatius Catholic Church since birth. In 1944, Mary married George Matthews. From this union, they were blessed with their daughter, Brenda. In later years, they separated but remained good friends. Mary was very outgoing. She loved spending time with her family and social gatherings with friends. An avid sports fan, she loved attending wrestling matches at the Upper Marlboro Race Track to see her favorite wrestlers, Bruno Sammartino and Bobo Brazil and she also enjoyed Roller Derby at the Washington Coliseum and the Capital Centre, cheering on her favorite skaters, Little Richard and Sonia Simms. Mary also had fondness for automobiles, especially her beloved 1969 Buick Electra 225 (the deuce and a quarter), which she drove until the wheels fell off (smile). Mary's employment began after high school, with Bolling Air Force Base, Aristocrat Cleaners at the Eastover Shopping Center, and the Prince Georges County Board of Education. Due to medical injury she retired in 1976 from Lord Baltimore Junior High School in Fort Washington, MD. Some of her hobbies included sewing, cabarets, listening to oldies but goodies, and sponsoring bus trips with her late companion, Ellsworth Smith to Atlantic City & Wildwood, NJ, Dutch Country, PA, New York's Coney Island and Niagara Falls, Canada. Mary was also a nurturing soul. When her sister, Margaret's health declined, Mary attended to the care of Margaret until her death in November 2000. She also assisted in rearing her two great grandsons, Marvel and Gregory. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death, by two brothers, Henry (Harry) Shorter, Lenton John Clark and two sisters, Margaret D. Clark and Ruby Elizabeth Clark. Mary is survived by her husband, George; loving daughter, Brenda Lancaster, son-in-law, William Lancaster; two grandchildren, Angela Potts (Jeffrey), Gregory Lancaster; four great grandchildren, Michael, Marvel, Rennie and Gregory; devoted nieces, Mary Patricia, Sharonda, Shawnecia Munson and Mary Langley; God-daughter, Cordelia Gough and other relatives and friends. Relatives and friends are invited to Mary Ella's Life Celebration at St. Ignatius Catholic Church, 2401 Brinkley Rd., Fort Washington, MD on Wednesday, February 6, 2013 from 10am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11am. Interment Resurrection Cemetery.