Elvie Jo Stidham, 81, died Wednesday morning at Adamsville Rehabilitation Center in Adamsville.
Family graveside services were 2 p.m. Saturday at Cave Springs Cemetery with Bro. Glenn Harris officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to St. Jude or the McNairy Humane Society P.O. Box 1083 Selmer, TN 38375.
She was born in Pontotoc, Miss., the daughter of the late Reverend William Henry Mathews and Donie Elvie Foreman Mathews. She moved with her family to Memphis where she attended schools and graduated from Frayser High School. She began working at Butler Brothers soon after as an operator. During this time, she met and married Utah Stidham. They married in 1962 and began their married lives in Memphis but moved to Masseyville shortly after and made their home there for their entire life.
She worked for Chester Manufacturing, Brown Shoe Company and finally Quality Manufacturing. She was respected for her ability to work quickly and well and have fun in the process. She retired at the age of 57 after 39 years of public work. She also worked on their farm which she loved.
She was a member of Mitchell’s Chapel Baptist Church where she helped with Sunday school and the card ministry. She loved to sing hymns, and her rich voice was missed after she was unable to sing and attend church. She enjoyed feeding family and friends and was well known for her baked ham at church dinners. During her long battle with Alzheimer’s she was blessed to be cared for not only by family, but by wonderful caregivers at her home as well as at Elmcroft in Jackson and for the majority of her illness at Adamsville Rehabilitation Center in Adamsville. The family is grateful to each of you.
She loved being with family and friends. She was also well known for her love of animals and spent many hours trying to rescue abandoned and neglected animals with her dear friend and loving caregiver, Donna Kay Hatch.
She is survived by her daughter, Wendy (Britt) Siler, and a grandson Drew (Lucas) Siler.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Utah; her parents; and her brother, William Berl Mathews.
