LAWRANCE MATTIX

A month ago my mother suggested I write something about our friend, Lawrance  Mattix on my blog.  We had just learned from him that he had congestive heart failure, and the prognosis wasn't good.  “I’m sure he would appreciate it, Kathy”, said my mother. 

I waited too long.  This morning my mother called the care center where Lawrance had been admitted    and  was  told by the attendant  he couldn't speak at this time, the nurse was sorry she couldn’t give my mother any more information.  A few minutes later, Lawrance’s grand-daughter Patty emailed telling us her grandfather passed away last night.   I’m grateful both my mom and I got the opportunity to speak with Lawrance during the last week. While mother and Lawrance had a good conversation, and were able to laugh some together, and share about things that connected them, by the time I spoke  with him, he was tired and his words were slurred.  I don’t recall all I said,  but I knew Lawrance knew it was me talking.

Lawrance and his wife, Patsy married when they were very young.  Patsy was only 17, Lawrance 19.  Patsy and my mom were just 21 when we moved next door to them on Gifford Avenue in Bell, California.  From the moment they met Mom and Patsy were simpatico and quickly become the best of friends. They would remain so until Patsy’s early death at age 55.  

Patsy left a huge void in the life of the people who loved her, especially her husband.   Lawrance did remarry, moved to Wisconsin and had a good life with Iris. But all who knew Lawrance, understood Patsy was his  true soul mate, whom he often longed for - the mother of his children, and the one who knew him best.

I knew Lawrance from the time I was 4 ½ years old.  I'm 61 now. It’s hard for me to think about my growing up years without including Lawrance.  He was a good and faithful husband, a devoted father, and loving grandfather and great –grandfather.  He was always so proud of his family, he sang their praises constantly, and didn’t think there was anything they couldn’t do.  He was also a strict disciplinarian. I so well remember Lawrance telling us neighborhood kids how he left for work every morning at 4 am, and when he came home at 5 pm he was tired, and   didn’t want to see our   bikes laid out across his driveway, bikes that he would have to move.  It would be sad he said if he had to run over them.  Lawrance made his point and I can tell you for certain, we kept his driveway clear of our bikes!   Wasn’t that a good lesson for kids to learn? I think so.   Lawrance was teaching us responsibility and to be considerate of others.  

Another thing I remember is Lawrance telling his daughter Linda - she was only 16, he would give her his car when he bought a new truck if she would take AUTO SHOP.  Linda argued she’d be the only girl in that class. Lawrance said, “Then you’ll be the only girl who knows how to fix her car if there’s a problem”.    He was right.   Linda was the only one of us girls who knew how to fix a car. I know, because other girlfriends and I were with Linda when the car we were in broke down, and it was Linda who got under the hood and fixed the problem!  

Lawrance was a good role model, a mentor to my brother, Walt.  One of our favorite Mattix – Cooney stories is how Lawrance and Patsy took Walt to buy him his first pair of cowboy boots when Walt was only five years old.  From that day forward my brother loved cowboy boots, and when he passed away at age 55 was buried with his boots on!   Lawrance wasn’t a big banker, lawyer, doctor or high ranking executive, he was in construction, a blue collar guy who worked hard to provide for his family, and lived life honestly.

In my last email to Lawrance dated Friday March 23 , 2012 I wrote:

I don’t know if you’ll see this email, but want you to know my mother, Lenore and I are thinking of you at this very minute. We love you, Lawrance and are so grateful for the cherished friend you’ve always been, and the sweet memories we share. I  just looked at a picture of you  and Patsy on Southall Court  standing in front of your very cool Studebaker – you look pretty cool yourself.  Last Saturday  my mom told her friends in Clarkston about how you would babysit  Linda and Pam and me and Walt so Patsy and Mom could go Christmas shopping,  and how you’d drive up to Cooney’s Donut’s on Florence Ave  at midnight to buy mom and Patsy fresh donuts while they were wrapping presents.  Please know you were a good example, and made such a positive impact on my mother, brother and me – especially during some of our hard times. You can be assured we will keep you in prayer, and in our hearts. God Bless you always.  Love, Kathy.

And now, LAWRANCE TIMOTHY MATTIX  Rest in peace, May Eternal Light Shine Upon You  +