Doris Anderson Mather

DORIS ANDERSON MATHER, 84, beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away Monday, April 11, 2022, in Fort Wayne, Ind. Born on Dec. 10, 1937 in Mount Vernon, N.Y., she was raised in Trenton, N.J. She attended Beaver College in suburban Philadelphia. While working on an undergraduate degree in Christian Education and completing fieldwork at Abington Presbyterian Church, she met the Rev. George Ross Mather, the church's newly hired associate pastor. They married in 1958, and lived in Ewing Township, N.J. Doris was one of the first women to attend Princeton Theological Seminary but was unable to complete her Master of Divinity before George was called to serve as senior pastor of First Presbyterian Church, in Fort Wayne, in 1971. While raising two young children, Doris commuted to Ball State University where she completed a Master's degree in Counseling Psychology. For several years Doris worked at West Central Neighborhood Association, now Wellspring, providing community counseling. In 1984, she became a chaplain at St. Joseph Medical Center where she served for 15 years. Her warm demeanor and strong faith were felt by those she helped, as much of her professional counseling focused on death and dying. Knowing she was the one who often called people with sad news, Doris' family appreciated that she started every phone call with a warm "we're fine" before getting to the reason for her telephone call. During her career, Doris was a consultant at Lancaster Theological Seminary conducting workshops for clergy in life career planning. She was the creator and leader of "The Befriender Training Program" for clergy and laity and she conducted "Life Enhancement and Planning" retreats for clergy wives throughout the country. Doris was an active member of First Presbyterian Church in Fort Wayne, where she helped start the Samaritan Training program, served on the Session as an elder, managed the Chapel Bookstore and volunteered as a lay Associate for Pastoral Care. Doris was former President of the Interreligious Action Council, member of the Board of Directors of Associated Churches and member of the Whitewater Valley Presbytery's Committee on Church and Society. Doris was proud of her Norwegian ancestry and was an enthusiastic member of Skandia Club. She led an active life that reflected her varied interests. She enjoyed entertaining, playing tennis and cards, and was a voracious reader. Doris loved to travel and was a life-long learner, often participating in Road Scholar programs throughout the United States and the world. Photography and music were a big part of her life as she played recorders with husband George and held season tickets to most musical series in Fort Wayne. Doris leaves behind her daughter, Catherine (Dwight) Mather-Grimes of Fort Wayne, and their children, Emma Elizabeth and Ethan Ross; son, Geoffrey (Ellen) Mather of Albuquerque, N.M., and their children, Elizabeth Evans and Luke Anderson. She is also survived by nephew, Drew Elliott; and nieces, Caroline Feinstein and Jane Manock. Doris was preceded in death by her parents, Gunder Anderson and Esther Thompson Anderson; sister, Marjorie Anderson Elliott; first husband, the Rev. Dr. George R. Mather; and second husband, Rev. Luther Strasen. A memorial service to celebrate her life is 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2022, at First Presbyterian Church, 300 W. Wayne St., Fort Wayne, followed by a reception in McKay Hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Presbyterian Church of Fort Wayne or Ghost Ranch Education and Retreat Center in Abiquiu, N.M.