LEE – Mattie Leila (Cobb) Merrill, 96, loving and devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and great-great-grandmother, sister and friend, died Nov. 5, 2004, in Lincoln. She was born Aug. 23, 1908, in Lee, the daughter of Elmer and Leila (Hooke) Cobb. Mattie was a 1926 graduate of Lee Academy and Lee Normal School Program and taught school for a short time. She resided in Lee with her husband of 53 years, Charles W. Merrill, who predeceased her in 1980 and they raised three children. She was a woman of steadfast faith and strength, an inspiration to all who knew her. She was a member of the Lee Baptist Church where she enjoyed serving as Sunday school superintendent and was involved in a variety of church functions and activities. She was an excellent cook and utilized her culinary skills in the school hot lunch program and also as a chef in the 60’s when she and her husband were employed in Christian schools and camps in Greenwich, Connecticut, New York City and Long Lake in Harrison, Maine. In their retirement years, Mattie and Charles enjoyed wintering in Leesburg, Fla. with family and friends. Mattie will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved her. She leaves behind a daughter, Roberta Williams-Bell and her husband, Ken, of Brentwood, Tenn.; 10 grandchildren, Sharon Newey, Edwin Goodwin, Elaine Goodwin-Thomas, Fred Goodwin, Janet Goodwin-Eddy, Jeffrey Goodwin, Carol Goodwin, Erlene Goodwin, all of Maine, Mark Williams of Brentwood, Tenn. and Robin Griffin of Birmingham, Ala.; 21 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren; nieces, nephews and a special friend and helper, Ginny Smith. In addition to her parents and husband, she was predeceased by her stepmother, Maude (Meeken) Cobb; a daughter, Carlene in 2000; a son, Charles in 2004; three sisters, Yvonne, Thelma and Theola; six brothers, Harry, Ralph, Sterling, Oscar, Oliver and Bernard; grandson, James Goodwin; great-grandson, James Goodwin Jr. A special thank you goes to the caregivers at Area Home Care and the friends and family who provided support and love in Mattie’s own home, which enabled her to remain there until the last day of her life on this Earth, as she had wished. Graveside services will be held 2 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 9, 2004, at Woodlawn Cemetery in Lee, with the Rev. Dr. Bruce Young of the Lincoln United Methodist Church officiating. Friends and family are invited to Mattie’s home after the service for refreshments. Arrangements with Clay Funeral Home, 7 Lee Road, Lincoln. For an online register book, please visit www.clayfuneralhome.com.
MATTIE L. MERRILL
