Mary Sue Russ Matthew

Mary Sue Russ Matthew passed from this life into the open arms of her Savior, Jesus Christ, on July 11, 2017, at Hospice Home Care. Sure was born in Bradley County, Arkansas, July 19, 1924, to Noel Arter Williams and Huey Mae Williams. She was the sixth of nine children. She and her siblings worked in the cotton fields "making 50 cents per 100 lbs. of cotton". They grew just about everything they ate during the depression. She, as well as her brothers and sisters, learned to work hard. Sue attended school at New Edinburg, Arkansas for grades 1 thru 11. For her senior year she lived with her aunt in Warren and graduated from Warren High School in 1942. Soon after graduation, she moved to Little Rock and worked at the Ordinance Plant in Jacksonville, Arkansas. She soon met William Poole Russ and they were wed in 1946. To this union was born a son, William Gary Russ. William Poole Russ died in 1957. Sue remarried in 1960 to Joseph H. Matthew. She retired from Sears in 1986 after 22 years of service. She and her sister, Bobbie Jean Butler, then got into the antique business. They loved to go shopping for antiques and then sell them in their shared booths. They didn't make it rich buying and selling antiques, but had loads of fun. Probably Sue's greatest legacy is her granddaughters, Ashley Ann Russ and Lindsey Marie Toland. Sue is preceded in death by her parents, her two husbands and seven of her siblings, Clyde Williams, Marjorie Townsend, Jewell Wherry, Martha Ballentine, Noel Williams, Jr., Hurley Williams, Shirley Doggett and Bobbie Jean Butler. She is survived by her son, Gary Russ and wife Barbara; granddaughters, Ashley Russ (Mike) and Lindsey Toland (Jason), all of North Little Rock; and her great-grandson, Jace Toland. The family would like to extend their appreciation to the Hospice Home Care Staff for their patience and dedicated care to mother for the last two years. Visitation will be Friday, July 14, at 9 a.m. with a memorial service at 10 a.m. at Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church in Little Rock. Arrangements are by Griffin Leggett Healey & Roth. An online guestbook is available at www.griffinleggetthealeyroth.com.