At 103, Rebecca Mathis is still up on current events
Live 103 years and the list of possible names expand.
That’s how it is for Rebecca Mathis, a Trenton resident who turns 103 years old today with a list of personal references that include mom, auntie, grandmother, great grandma, great-greatgrandma, great-great-great grandma and matriarch for Mathis, Bivens and Young family members.
“And she’s amazing. My grandma still is in the right frame of mind and that’s the real blessing,” Tonja Corbin.
Bill Young, 65, a nephew who grew up in Trenton but now resides in Virginia, praised his mom’s sister.
“She’s sharp. She knows everyone in our family. Plus, she can talk about current news and things that happened decades ago. I’m really amazed. It’s impressive that she’s lived this long,” Young said.
Mathis did employ parttime as a City of Trenton school crossing guard.
“But for the most part she was an old school housewife who stayed home and took care of everything, the children, housework, cleaning,..” Young noted.
Mathis birthed in 1915 in Dillon, S.C. before her parents, Nalia and David Mitchell moved to Trenton in 1920. Mathis graduated from Trenton Central High School in 1935. The second of five children eventually married Edward Bivens. They had eight kids, Arabia, Ruth, Evelyn, Eddie, Isaac, Jimmy, Curtis and Melvin.
Mathis developed a strong religious foundation after being baptized at Union Baptist Church at the age of 12. Church and religion remain significant entities to her life.
When the family moved to Beverly, Bivens joined Macedonia Baptist Church under the leadership of Rev. George Shaffer. Her labors of love continued with being active in the church choir, Sunday school and the Usher Board. She also served as the Choir’s President and as superintendent of Sunday school for many years, according to Corbin.
Following the death of her husband in 1983, Bivens moved back to Trenton and eventually married Raymond Mathis. He passed in 1990. Rebecca Mathis has outlived five children.
Corbin noted Mathis’ favorite quotes connect to Scripture. She says, “No one told me that life would be easy, but through the Grace of God I made it. I’ve had lots of ups and downs, have been talked about, and abused, but I learned to lean and depend on Jesus. I let go and let God!”
“I know that God can do anything but fail. I can say He’s never failed me yet. I can say truthfully that “It is well with my soul” which is by the way, one of her two favorite hymns, and the other one being a “I Don’t Believe He Brought Me This Far To Leave Me”
Young praised Mathis and hoped that he reached old age with style, grace, plus, good physical condition and mental awareness. Longevity runs in the lineage of Mitchells, Bivens and Youngs clan.
“My mother’s oldest sister, Hannah, lived until 104 years old. My dad and his brothers lasted well into their 80s and 90s. I can only hope to reach old age with the same success and class,”’ Young said.
Local family members and friends plan a quiet celebration today as Rebecca Mathis enjoys another birthday.
L.A. Parker is a Trentonian columnist.