Obituary of Kathryn Chisholm Matson

Early Sunday morning, Oct. 26, 2014, Kathryn Chisholm Matson, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and loving wife, died at home in her sleep of complications from Huntington's disease. Memorial service: 3 p.m. Tuesday in University Christian Church Sanctuary in Fort Worth. Her family will meet with friends at 1:30 p.m. in the church's Gallery before the service. Interment: Her body will be cremated and buried in Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. Emma Kathryn Chisholm was born Sept. 17, 1929, in the family's unpainted house on a dry land share-cropper's farm in rural Martin County, near a small crossroad settlement named Tarzan. Her parents were Perzada Hilbun Chisholm and Golie Forest Chisholm, who migrated to Texas from Mississippi in the 1920s. She was the last of seven children born to Perzada and Golie as they moved from Dallas to Martin County to a homestead plot on the Rio Grande River near Taos, N.M. After less than a year of homesteading, the family moved back to Tarzan and later to Midland, where Kathryn completed high school in 1947. While still in high school, Kathryn met Morris Matson whose family had just moved to Midland from Houston. In December 1948 Kathryn and Morris were married. During the next 65 years they raised two daughters, Dana Matson (deceased 2013) and Paula Panchak, who lives in Davis, Okla., and Arlington. Vicariously they helped raise four granddaughters, Kathryn Leigh Baugher of Emerald Isle, N.C., and Dana Marie Reed, Veronica Carl and Kristin Baker, all of Fort Worth; one great-grandson, Joseph Baugher and one great-granddaughter, Gwenevere Baugher of Emerald Isle. After graduation from a local business college in Midland, Kathryn worked as a secretary and accounting clerk for Midland Hardware and Standard Oil Co. of Texas. In 1951 Morris joined the U.S. Air Force and the family lived in San Antonio, Winter Haven, Fla., Lubbock and Savannah, Ga., over the next five years. Two daughters were born during this time. Returning to Midland, Morris went to work for Eddie Chiles and The Western Company, so the family came to Fort Worth when Eddie moved his company here. Kathryn was very talented as a seamstress so in addition to working full time outside the home, she created many beautiful clothes for her children and grandchildren. She loved beautiful clothes since she had been raised wearing clothes made from flour sacks. Kathryn was eager to learn while still working and raising little girls so she enrolled in TCU to enrich her life and then completed the associate's program at Tarrant County College. When the Kimbell Art Museum opened, Kathryn went through the docent training program and spent many enjoyable hours giving children's tours. A longtime member of the Fort Worth Woman's Club, she studied Spanish and was active in the interior decorating group. Kathryn was active with Morris in supporting numerous museum programs and the Fort Worth Opera. She enthusiastically supported their activities in collecting and loaning works of art to exhibitions and museums. Except for a year living in South Africa, Kathryn has lived in Fort Worth since 1959. Kathryn was a gifted Sunday school teacher and choir member at a number of churches in Fort Worth and Arlington. Her last church position was as a member of the Chancel Choir at University Christian Church. She considered it an honor to go with the choir on trips to sing at Carnegie Hall and cathedrals in England and Scotland. Ultimately the effects of Huntington's disease on her body and voice caused her to resign her participation in the choir. And finally the disease prevented her from even attending church or taking care of everyday duties. From the earliest days of their marriage, Kathryn and Morris enjoyed travel. In their first year of marriage, they drove over 7,000 miles on two-lane roads in one two-week vacation. Two years ago they completed a major item on their bucket list by visiting the last one of Texas' 254 counties in Texas and the 50 states. On Oct. 26, around 2 a.m., she completed her last trip. Martin Thompson & Son Funeral Home Fort Worth, 817-292-2250