Visitation for Willie "Bryant" Mathews will be held at Aulds Funeral Home located at 7849 E. Kings Hwy in Shreveport, from 10 am – noon on Wednesday, January 31, 2024.  A graveside service will follow at 1 pm at Centuries Memorial Park located at 8801 Mansfield Rd in Shreveport.  Pastor Ron Johnson of Mission Point Baptist Church in Stonewall, Louisiana, will lead the graveside service.

Bryant grew up in Hall Summit and Oak Grove, Louisiana, the son of a farmer and housewife. It was working on the farm that gave Bryant a love of the earth, tractors and outdoors.  He met his wife of 66 years, Georgia Duren, during high school when she pretended to "attend" the same church he was attending with his parents.  He graduated from Robeline High School where he "pretended" to live in the same district in order to attend the same school as his sweetheart.  Following graduation, he served briefly in the National Guard from which he was Honorably Discharged.  After marrying Georgia, he went to work at First National Bank in Shreveport and remained in finance in various industries including in the John Deere business where he was able to work side by side with his son, Rusty.  After his retirement in 2010, he worked for "fun and love" for his daughter, Terri.

Most important to "Papa" was his family.  He was most definitely the head of the household teaching us everything from gardening and fishing to construction and mechanics.  His favorite thing to say after a challenging project was "well, we can say we did that once!"  In our younger years, he was our baseball and softball coach and later on never missed one of our games sitting on uncomfortable bleachers every weekend well into the night.  We didn't have a lot, but whether it was a weekend camping trip or a 2 night hotel stay in the neighboring town, he and mom had a knack for turning it into a 4-star holiday.  He truly lived up to his favorite scripture:

"For with God, nothing shall be impossible."  Luke 1:37

Dad was a quick-witted charmer who always had a joke and a grin.  However, he was a man of few words most of the time and after a long ramble by mom, he would grin and look at us and simply say "WORDS" instead of responding with actual words.

Of course, his greatest love was "mama" and raising their two kids, 2 grandsons and 5  great grandkids.  He and mom were inseparable and portrayed a love that is truly rare.  And even after his health was failing, you could still find him riding the great grandkids around on his John Deere tractor.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Georgia Duren Mathews; his son Russell Keith Mathews; his daughter Terri Lynne Mathews; his two grandsons, Bradley Keith Mathews and wife Jamie Mathews and Jeremy Mathews and wife Jordan Mathews; and 5 great grandkids, Braeden, MacKenzie, Lane, Aubreigh and Chloe.

He is also survived by three sisters, Joyce Fleming of West Monroe, Mary Jennings of Shreveport, and Shirly Carter of New Braunfels, Texas.  He is preceded in death by sister, Ruth Prisock and brother, Edwin Mathews.

In lieu of flowers, the family would appreciate donations to the ministry of Mission Point Baptist Church, 740 Linwood, Stonewall, LA 71078.

CHANGING PASTURES

My lord is a stream of water in a desert land.

On a rocky hillside He will hold your hand.

In green pastures He will let you lie.

To the mountain top He will help you fly.

In Death Valley cold and deep,

He will be there to hold your feet.

In His arms He will take you to the other shore

Where changing pastures will be no more.

-          Fannie Mathews