Mattie Markham, 102 years, 11 months and 359 days old, lived in the city of Los Angeles, California.  On October 11, 2010, while at home sleeping, our Heavenly Father claimed her as His own.

Mattie Stephens was born on October 17, 1907 to Matthew and Victoria Stephens. She was the Fourth of nine siblings according to the 13th Census of the United States conducted in Prentice, Mississippi that year.

With parents as share croppers, as a child, Mattie was cared for by her grandparents who were former slaves. They contributed to the knowledge and traditional training which she shared with her offspring throughout the years.

 Always displaying leadership qualities, after her mother’s demise, as a young adult, Mattie assumed the motherly role helping to care for her siblings as she worked in the main house of the Plantation to help make ends meet. One workday, her father discovered Mattie had been placed in a compromising situation which required the family to flee in the midst of the night. Doing so, they found their home with the church mother, Mother Beatrice Buggs (Big Mama).

Because of her father being a minister and raising his children to love the Lord first, Mattie  devoted her entire life to Christ (102 years, 11 months and 359 days) and continued her ministry until her demise.

As a lifelong member of Triumph The Church and Kingdom of God in Christ  Mattie served under the leaderships of Bishop H.M. Harris, Bishop D.H. Harris, Bishop Charles H. Whittiker Sr., Prince Charles H. Whittiker J., Charles H. Whittiker Jr., and current Pastor, Shepherd  Darlene Harris. She served many capacities including working with the Good Samaritan Club,  missionaries, a licensed teacher, usher, sang in the choir and was the Mother of the congregation for many years and the Shepherd Mother. Mother Markham as she was commonly known was truly one who could pray and God would listen. She was a prayer worrier of all times. In fact, she was known for praying in her sleep, she was able to get a prayer through to God and be able to thank him for all his many blessings. People would come from far and near when they had problems and ask this anointed women of God for prayer, knowing that she would get through to our almighty.

In her early young adult years she met and married Albert Sims, in Tallulah Louisiana and to this union 1 child was born, Betty Jean Sims. Later Mattie united in matrimony with Andrew James Markham which they had ten additional children: three who preceded her in death at birth. Together they raised Joel, Andrew II, George, Barbara, Shirley, Linda, Carolyn and was blessed with accepting the responsibility of nurturing, caring and sharing an abundance of love for Shirley Davis, and through this relationship, she became her daughter. In the words of Shirley Davis “Granny, you know what? You’re my best friend!”

Raising her children and caring for her husband was a daily task for Mattie, she enjoyed being a wife and mother. Mattie was also a seamstress she would make clothes even if there was no sewing machine she would take a single needle and thread and cut out a garment with no pattern and make an outfit. Her pride and joy was her family where she made numerous sacrifices to ensure that they had everything they needed.

Mattie was employed by USC Medical Center formerly known as “General Hospital”, for more than eighteen years after which she became a homemaker.

She lived in a corner house on 59th and 8th avenue for over 25 years. She was the adopted mother and granny to many of the children in the neighborhood. Some who did not have a grandmother so she shared her love for all. She would cook dinner and everyone who passed her window would smell the aroma of her famous fried chicken and she did not limit her meals to just her family she would feed anyone who came and wanted to eat. She even cut a hole in the screen in order to pass food out. She loved and prayed for everyone.

Grammy, A.K.A. Mikey, like to eat. She would want to taste everyone’s food. Even though she had just finished her meals if you came in the house with food Mikey wanted a taste and often made fun of how well her plumbing worked.

 She leaves to cherish her memory three daughters, Shirley Green,  Carolyn Black (John), and Shirley Davis;