Cora 'Anna' Laura Smith Matthews

MATTHEWS, Cora Anna Laura Smith
of Portage, Michigan Born as Cora Anna Laura Smith and named for three beloved aunts on July 12, 1911, in Perry County, Indiana either in Tell City or in Troy, Anna Laura was the first child of Daniel Ervin Smith and Frances Eva Boulware Smith. Two years later her sister, Helen Lucille Smith Cooper Earl joined her to be her lifelong buddy, and two years after that her brother, George Wayne Smith was born and also was a lifelong buddy. Throughout her childhood she lived in northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio, and southwest Michigan. She made it through most of high school in Kalamazoo, Michigan, when the Great Depression's impact on her family became so great that she sought employment, much to her teachers' dismay, as they believed she should graduate and go to college, unusual for a woman in the late 1920's.. It is believed it is at this time is when she worked at Woolworths. At age 18 she had a powerful encounter with Jesus Christ and remained dedicated to Him to her last breath. Raised in the Baptist Church, as a young adult she joined the Free Methodist Church, though in the 1970's she attended Winchell Avenue Disciples of Christ Church to be with family. Around 1980, several members of the family began attending Bethlehem Baptist Church and she began attending with them. Even when they moved away or passed on, she continued attending and participating as fully as she could until she became housebound in the last couple years. On May 24, 1934, she married Raymond Harold Matthews in Paulding County, Ohio. Five years later her only child, Carl Lee, was born. Another seven years later, her marriage dissolved, though she and Raymond always considered each other family and gave each other a hand as they needed it. Fortunately Anna Laura was already employed by Shakespeares a fishing tackle manufacturer and was able to support herself and her son the rest of his childhood. Anna Laura loved her family energetically, from the generations before her to the most newly born great-great-grandchild. She also loved singing and sang in many duets and trios and choirs, as well as enjoying attending barber shop quartet concerts. Another great pleasure was gardening and landscaping. She loved making her home and herself lovely. She was very intelligent and well read and kept up avidly with current events and politics. As a single woman most of her life, she became very resourceful and traveled and lived a full live, even though she never learned to drive a car. Anna Laura passed away in the evening of February 25 in the loving presence of family at the ripe age of 101. She was preceded in death by her parents, sister, brother, son, former husband, and dear friend Corlin Cummins. She is survived by many generations: her daughter-in-law Sheila Irene Maxam Matthews; grandchildren Leora Kathleen Matthew Wright and husband Cameron Wright, Dani Matthews and fiance Ben Saucedo, Lee Douglas Matthews and Debra Matthews; great grandchildren Jaime Lynne Sprague, Jeremiah James Sprague, Jessica Rae Sprague, Ashley Nicole Hoyt, Donna Kaye Matthews and fiance Eric Sparks, Stuart Charles Matthews and Krystal Pohjola, Garreth Allen Matthews, Victoria Kathleen Wright Webb and husband Peter Webb, Emily Anna Laura Wright, William Cameron Wright, Lewis Perry David Wright; and great-great grandchildren Jacob Hunter Smith, Kaylee Alexis Alvarado, Annika Josehpine Sparks, Jaiden Charles Matthews, Greysn Allen Matthews. She is also survived by her sister's children: Candy Sue Grace Charlene Cooper, Jackie Pike, and Gregory Lee Cooper, and by her former husband's numerous nieces and nephews of the Zartman family in Payne, Ohio. Services will be held 2 o'clock Friday from the Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick St. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the chapel. Private burial will take place in Mt. Ever-Rest Cemetery at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the Bethlehem Baptist Church.