Mattie Ray Daniel

Mattie Ray Daniel was born September 29, 1929, in Forest, Mississippi, to James and Cora Payton. She was the fourth of eight girls born to this marital union, and she had an additional elder sister (Willie Owens).

Reflections of Moments in Her Life

Mattie was educated in the Scott County Training School System. As a child, she loved to play jump rope, hide and seek, and hopscotch. She was astute in math, and became a fierce advocate for children valuing education and taking advantage of the opportunities to always learn more.

As a young child, Mattie attended Scott County COGIC and, as a teenager, she was saved, sanctified, and filled with the gift of the Holy Ghost. As a young woman, she cultivated her relationship with God through prayer and fasting, and exhibited the fruit of the Spirit. Mattie embraced her walk with Christ throughout her life, exemplifying to others what the love of God looks and feels like. She instilled Christian values in her children and grandchildren from their birth even until now.

At age nineteen, Mattie was united in marriage to Johnnie Cole Daniel on November 20, 1948. They were blessed to have seven children, and they shared thirty-six years of marriage together. Mattie always reminded her family that, “Marriage can be either good or bad, heaven or hell”; and she encouraged all of her children and grandchildren to put forth the effort to make it good.

She made a conscious decision to keep her children as her priority, and she continually held jobs that allowed her to provide for her family. After her children were grown, Mattie worked for the Visiting Nursing Association; received training; and became certified as a dialysis nurse. She continued to work for this company until she retired. No stranger to hard work, she received many accolades for her dedication and strong work ethic. She integrated this work ethic into everything she did, both in the natural realm and the spiritual.

In 1952, Mattie and Johnnie migrated to Indianapolis, Indiana, a place she identified as home. The couple joined the Robinson Temple COGIC under the leadership of Elder James and Dorothy Robinson. It was here that Mattie raised up her children in holiness.

Later in life, she and her adult children and grandchildren transitioned to become part of the Bishop Temple Church family, which offered them a wonderful opportunity for spiritual growth and renewal under the leadership of Elder Samuel C. Bishop and Mother Etta M. Bishop. During her season at Bishop Temple, Mattie served in various roles and was later elevated to Church Mother. She loved this role and put her heart and energy into serving in this capacity.

After years of serving at Bishop Temple, Mattie returned to her original church home under the leadership of Pastor Willie and Wiltha Winfrey. She also served here as the Church Mother, and later, Church Mother Emeritus; she remained here till the Lord called her home.

Over the years, Mattie dedicated her life to serving the Lord in various capacities in the church: youth leader, Sunday school teacher, prayer and Bible band teacher, Church Mother, Pastor’s Aid Committee leader, and soloist. Mattie was an anointed prayer warrior and dedicated altar worker. She would also distribute fruit bags to everyone for the church Christmas programs; and was known to feed the homeless from her back door. She was a woman who believed in laboring for the Kingdom of God, and winning souls for Christ was her life mission.

Mattie had an infectious smile, offered generous listening, and was gifted with wisdom. She imparted this wisdom into her children and grandchildren. She was a loving mother and a doting grandmother, and took great pride in her children and grandchildren’s accomplishments. Mattie loved gardening, canning, family trips and going to the fair with her family.

She embodied the Proverbs 31 Woman. She was a holy woman, an excellent provider—classy, graceful, intelligent, intuitive, kind and compassionate. Mattie was a firm, fair, and fun mother and grandmother.

Mattie had a plethora of sayings down through the years. Many would have people laughing and crying interchangeably. Some gave pause. However, the one that speaks volumes is this: “I’m living this life so that I can meet him in peace.”

Sunset

On September 20, 2020, at 8:00 pm, Mattie heard God whisper her name and, without hesitation, she let go of this life and everyone she loved to spend eternity with her Lord and Savior. She departed this life at the age of 90. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; sisters Mary, Ida, Betty, Bobbie and Willie; sons John Lee, Willie James, Johnnie James; and grandsons Jason L. Pack, Samuel Tyrone Willis, and Tevon M. Lane.

Mattie’s family legacy will live on for generations because of the love, wisdom, courage and tenacity she has imparted into her family. She leaves to cherish her memory her five children: Mattie B. Willis, aka Sister (Sam); Elaine Pack, aka Pumpkin (Richard); Gladys Lumumba, aka Cat (Modebo); E. Fay Yeakey (Calvin); and Dwight Daniel (Zahra). She had twenty-two grandchildren, 32 great grandchildren, twelve great-great, grandchildren, a host of relatives and friends, and her Robinson Temple Church family. She will be missed by her Robinson Church family and her friends, but her family will miss her the most of all.

Throughout all of the good times, and the challenging ones, her family was dedicated to loving and caring for their mother/grandmother to the very sunset of her life. A special word of recognition and appreciation, however, goes to her daughters Fay and Gladys, who lovingly and faithfully provided ongoing primary care for her. In her writing, Mattie left this final charge to her family: “Stay close to each other and love each other.”