Mattie E. Rudkin Tyler Forsyth

COOLIDGE - Mattie E. Rudkin Tyler Forsyth, 94, of Coolidge died peacefully at home, with her family by her side, on Jan. 28, 2019.

Mrs. Forsyth was born on July 7, 1924, in Houston Township, Perry County, Arkansas, to Joe and Nora Rudkin. She married James "Dick" Tyler on Feb. 24, 1947, in Morrilton, Arkansas. They had three children. They moved to Coolidge in 1956 and Dick died in 1965. She married G.W. "Cy" Forsyth in 1969, and he died in 1979.

She worked very hard to provide for her family and picked cotton in the fields around Coolidge. In 1961 she went to work at Arizona Training Program at Coolidge and remained for 16 years. In 1977 she began working in a nursing home in Florence and retired in 1989.

She had many hobbies including dancing, music, camping, fishing, yard sales, reading romances and watching TV, including western movies, cooking shows, game shows and "Walker, Texas Ranger." She donated time to Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 3713 Auxiliary. She would help in any way she could and was president for two years. She waited tables at district meetings, worked on fundraisers and was Mrs. Claus for the annual kids Christmas party. Her greatest love was her family and she loved sitting for hours holding hands with them and getting and giving kisses with all. She made visitors feel like her family and "adopted" friends of her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Survivors include a son and daughter, Jerry L. Tyler and Nancy "Gennie" Horlacher; six grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-granddaughters. Besides her husbands, she was preceded in death by a son, Joe E. Tyler, in 1999.

Service at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 7, at J. Warren Funeral Services, Cole & Maud Coolidge Chapel, with celebration of life at VFW Post 3713. Memories and stories shared in a casual gathering.