Obituary of Mary Mattison Skelton

Mary Mattison Skelton, widow of Sam B. Skelton of West Columbia, died on January 3, 2019 at the age of 92. Mary was born to the late James Broadus and Ossie (Chapman) Mattison of Fork Shoals SC.  She was a native of Fork Shoals in Greenville County.  Mary graduated from Fork Shoals High School in 1943 and was the class valedictorian.  She was a resident of West Columbia for 68 years after moving from Greenville in 1949 with her husband Sam.

She was a member of The First Baptist Church of West Columbia for most of this time. She taught young girls in the Girls Auxiliary (GAs) program for 23 years as an outreach program of the church. Girls Auxiliary is for girls between the ages of 10 and 16. Mary was a devoted Christian, eager to share her love of Jesus with others.  Mary was also a member of The Eastern Star Brookland # 104 of West Columbia.

Mary worked in accounting/bookkeeping at various companies over the years. She quit work to raise her children, and worked part time until the children were grown. She retired from the South Carolina Employment Security Commission and rediscovered her love for the outdoors/yard.

Surviving are three children, five grand-children, and seven great grand-children. The surviving children are Ben Skelton of Gaston, Ruth Skelton Bloom of Columbia, and Ray Skelton (Becky), of Lawrenceville GA. Other survivors are a sister-in-law Evelyn Fowler Clardy of Hartwell GA, and brother-in-law Brownie Skelton (Christine) of Fountain Inn SC.

Mary was preceded by her husband Sam B Skelton in 1989, sister, Sarah Mattison White in 1998, and sister Myra Mattison Hipps in 1961.

A visitation will be held at Thompson Funeral Home of Lexington on Saturday, January 5, 2019 from 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.  The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at Thompson Funeral Home in Lexington on Sunday, January 6, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.  Burial will follow at Woodridge Memorial Park in Lexington.