Mattie Lou Cowan Simmons Goodwin “Matt” was born June  6, 1922 to the late Matt Cowan and Georgia Anna Fulpher Tarver.  Matt had five sibling — of which, Elizabeth, L.D., Samuel and Hosea preceded her in death.

Mattie departed this life Friday, June 5, 2015.

Trained as a child — Matt accepted Christ and shared his spirit of  love at Walton Chapel Church through teaching Sunday School, as a
Church Mother, and as a Choir member. As a Soloist, she loved to sing
and loved going to church, not limited just to Walton Chapel. She traveled to Columbus, GA, Ozark, AL and many of the churches in Bullock,
Macon and Russell Counties. When Matt health failed, and she could
not attend church, she would read her Bibles (King James and The Loving Word) and have devotional service as if she was in church. Matt
would always ask “Did you go to church today?” For her — everyday
was a church day.

Matt’s passion was cooking and her peanut butter cakes were requested by many.

In 1941, Mattiewas united in Holy Matrimony with Will Arthur
Simmons Goodwin. This union was blessed with eleven children. Four
preceded her in death—two babies, Willie Plez (Billie) in 1988 and
Samuel (Sam, Pete) in 1995.

Cherishing Matt’s memories are her husband,Will Arthur; her
children,Earnest (Peggy), Lonnie (Beverly), Mary (Hugh), Elizabeth, Maxine, Bobbie and Doreatha; sister,Annie Jean; sister-inlaw,Mildred Tarver,daughter-in-law,Statie; God-son,John Lewis;twenty-two grandchildren, forty-two great-grandchildren, ten great-great-grandchildren; along with a host of nephews,
nieces, cousins and church family.

Special thanks to her caregivers: her son,Lonnie; Susie (nurse)
and Mattie; granddaughters,Wanda and Betty; grandson,Lonnie, Jr.; great-granddaughter, Te’Wandria; Wallace and Dorothy
(Jean) Guice Harris; Betty Oaks, Walter James Anderson and the
Utilities Board.