Mrs. Mattie Earl Love's Obituary
Mattie Earl was born in Enterprise, Mississippi to Glennie and Daisy Earl. She was the fifth of ten children. At a very early age, Little Mattie proved to be an industrious but quiet child, whose willingness to learn helped her adapt to very easily to skills that would serve her well for her entire life. She mimicked her mother in cooking, home making, and the patience and accuracy that were required of a seamstress. These skills would be passed on to her daughters. She was also gifted and well above average with calculations and mathematics. The Earl children attended the Boyd School, which combined an elementary and high school in one venue; this was commonplace in rural Mississippi in the 1930s.
Young Mattie and her siblings were raised in the Jerusalem Baptist church in Enterprise. They regularly participated in church youth activities; young Mattie sang second soprano along with four other siblings in the religious singing group that they formed. Their father called upon them every Sunday to perform. The Great Depression wreaked havoc in the black communities across the south…especially in racially divided rural Mississippi. Because of these conditions, Mattie was compelled to terminate her education after the 10th grade, and commence working in support of the family. Mattie regretted this decision because her innate gift for mathematics might have taken her places…there is no telling what she might have accomplished with a college degree. Mattie was able to add figures - columns eight digits long - in her head without the use of paper or pen. Who knows? She too might have been a “Hidden Figure”. Her ‘math gene” was nevertheless passed on to her children and grandchildren.
As World War II raged on in the Pacific and Europe, entire families of young Black Men across the South were drafted or recruited into the armed services. A 21-year-old veteran sailor from Quitman found out about a pretty petite girl named Mattie Earl. The story goes that Charlie Love’s sister had tried some years earlier to connect the two…to no avail. During a revival at Little Zion Church near Stonewall , Mississippi, the two finally met. Charlie was smitten by Mattie’s creamy flawless complexion, curly black hair and other exceptional qualities. A revival was clearly not the place to spoon, but as an incentive to return and enter into courtship, Charlie left his prized wristwatch with Mattie as a token of his intended betrothal…this became known as “ the engagement watch.” Upon meeting the approval of Jack Earl, Mattie’s trusted older brother; the romance was consummated by their marriage on June 24, 1947. Mattie possessed nearly all of the attributes that Charlie desired in a life partner…a Love story that continued for 74 years.
On August 9, 1948, the couple’s first of four girls was born, Mattie Lee aka “Tiny”. Nettie Jean, then Ivenue followed her two years later, and finally Reola in 1953. Each girl developed a uniquely distinct personality, which Mattie nurtured, while providing each with an unwavering Christian upbringing. Mattie disciplined and encouraged them, showered them with love, and instilled in them old-fashioned non-materialistic values. The family’s first membership was at Haven Chapel UMC Church. As the family grew, they moved to a home in the Red Line Community, which was centrally located and diverse in its demographics. Mattie ran a tight ship adopting the mantra that “cleanliness is next to Godliness”. Saint Paul UMC was within safe walking distance, so Mattie’s four little girls became active in the church’s youth auxiliaries including the choir and Sunday School. Their home training and their experiences at Saint Paul deeply and morally grounded the Love Girls.
The Wechsler School was across the street from their home so the girls participated in school activities under Mattie’s watchful eye. Mattie was very resourceful. For a time she was a domestic in a private home where the atmosphere, her talents, and sensibilities were appreciated. However, when Mattie found her youngest child frightened and hovering under a chair on their porch because she was not able to arrive home in time to greet her, she promptly resigned. Any recurrence of that incident was inconceivable. Mattie subsequently became employed at Carver School as a cafeteria cashier. She never used a calculator or adding machine, as she was able to perform those rudimentary calculations in her head. She was later promoted to Cafeteria Manager at Wechsler School.
Mattie was an exceptional cook who could prepare virtually any dish without the aid of recipes or cookbooks. She was able to memorize details as if they were equations. It became commonplace for her to receive several calls from her daughters prior to the preparation of holiday meals. Her fried corn, field peas, turnip roots were the stuff of legend. She canned vegetables and ‘put them up’ for off-season enjoyment. Her chess pies, German chocolate cakes, and fresh ambrosia, were teamed with Charlie’s prime ribs creating feasts fit for a King or certainly an Earl. She routinely prepared peach cobblers for Charlie’s private catering events. His clientele were among Meridian’s leading citizens. Mattie was a professional seamstress who preferred Vogue patterns to the ‘lesser’ McCall or Butterick. She once assisted Ivenue in making bound buttonholes for a full-length cashmere overcoat as a Christmas gift; created by Tiny’s Fifth Avenue worthy wedding dress; assisted Nettie in creating her own wedding dress; and taught Reola how to design her clothing while in college. She made all of the girl’s clothes with the exception of 4th of July play outfits when they were young.
Mattie’s hobbies were watching soap operas, sitcoms, and Tiger Woods golf tournaments. She knew absolutely nothing about golf. She enjoyed Al Green as a recording artist. Mattie was passionate about her children, sacrificing consistently for them at every turn, and supporting them emotionally and spiritually.
When all of her siblings and their families left Mississippi for Indiana, she focused her attentions on her children, husband, and other people who counted on her when they were in need. Whenever possible, Mattie read her Bible and The Upper Room. She made sure that she was prepared for her Sunday School lessons. She participated in the Altar Guild, Sanctuary Choir, United Methodist Women and the Finance Committee. Though she only possessed a 10th grade education, her innate mathematical computing skills made her a welcomed addition to the Finance Committee.
Reola and Philip cared for Mattie and her husband lovingly without exception in a replicated suite in their home in Sandflat. Her other daughters paid extended visits on a regular basis.
On June 6, Mattie passed away peacefully in her sleep. She was preceded in death by Charlie, her loving husband of 74 years; her parents; one grandson, Charles Jr.; three brothers: Glennie Earl Jr., Peter “Sugar Doll”, and Aaron “Sonnie” ; three sisters: Louise Amos, Emma Price, and Ruby Brown.
She leaves to cherish her memory: daughters: Mattie (Charles-deceased) Thurman of Rochester, NY, Nettie (Allen Jr.) Weaver of New Rochelle, NY; Ivenue (William Stanley III) of Atlanta, GA; and Reola (Philip) Daniels of Meridian, MS; four grandchildren: Allen Paul (Ijnanya Shipman-Weaver) Weaver III, Tanya Thurman, Kimberly (Josue Rivera) Thurman-Rivera and Cyrus-Charles (Ryan Birch) Weaver; four great-grandchildren: Noble, Kennedy, Jacob, and Jordan; sisters: Annie Davis, Daisy Garner and Minnie Hunter; as well as a host of nieces, nephews, other relatives and special friends.
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