Carol Ellowyn Mathes

Carol E. Mathes, 89, of Melcher-Dallas, passed away April 30, 2023, at the Chariton Specialty Care. Services will be Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the Pierschbacher Funeral Home in Melcher-Dallas. Family will receive friends prior to the service beginning at 10:00 a.m. Burial will be at the Gosport Cemetery following the service.

Carol was born May 21, 1933, to Perry and Veneti Grimes Harvey. She attended country school and Knoxville and then graduated from Dallas High School in 1951 and was married to her high school sweetheart, Gerald Mathes, on December 7, 1951. They were blessed with three children: Mike, Tim, and Julie.

Gerald and Carol moved to the Chariton area shortly after marrying.  She worked for Bankers Life in Des Moines after high school and worked for Edmond Stone and Sons in Chariton. When her son Mike was born, she quit working and raised her family. During this time, they moved back to Dallas. After moving all these times, Carol’s exact words were,” I’m not moving anymore.” And they made their home just east of the Dallas School for the rest of their married lives.

Carol started working again after the children were older. She retired from a bookkeeping job in 1995 and was the secretary and treasurer for New Hope United Methodist Church and kept the shop books at home. Gerald and Carol were great partners and never argued, although that might be because in later years Carol did all of his hearing for him and would relay only what he needed to know. They enjoyed going to the races and going out to eat with friends when they could. Carol also liked doing yardwork and anything outdoors.

Carol was preceded in death by her parents, Perry and Veneti; husband, Gerald Mathes; daughter, Julie Mathes; a great granddaughter; and brother, Bill Harvey. She will be greatly missed by her; sons: Mike (Snooky) Mathes and Tim (Kay) Mathes; six grandchildren: Chad, Lisa, Jill, Beth, Danny, and DJ; 10 great grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.