Sarah Brunson Mathews

Sarah Brunson Mathews was born on September 20, 1935, in Winnsboro, LA to Frank Wray and Lela Prewitt Brunson. She passed away peacefully on June 7, 2025, surrounded by family, at Jackson Parish Hospital in Jonesboro, Louisiana. 

Sarah was raised in Archibald, LA. She was a 1953 graduate of Mangham High School and attended Northeast Louisiana University and Louisiana Tech University. She married Armed Mathews in 1955, and they started their family in Mangham where Armed coached football. As a coach’s wife, Sarah regularly spent time washing and mending uniforms and cooking for the Mangham Dragons. After moving their family to Jonesboro, Sarah worked for many years as the receptionist and then bookkeeper at Jonesboro-Hodge High School and later as secretary of the special education department at Jackson Parish School Board. Armed and Sarah also owned and operated The Sports Page in Jonesboro for many years. 

Sarah was an avid reader, a professional at solving crossword puzzles, and a fan of old westerns. She and Armed watched every episode of Gunsmoke many times. Sarah was an excellent cook and loved cooking big meals for her “bunch” as she called her family. She was extremely proud of her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, and great-great grandkids and was fiercely protective of all of them.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, Armed Mathews; her daughter, Ellen Mathews Layfield; and her parents. 

She is survived by two sons, Armed Murrell “Rel” Mathews, Jr. and wife Salena; Francis Neuton “Frank” Mathews and wife Brenda; one daughter, Karen Mathews Myers and husband Joey; and one son-in-law, Randy Layfield. 

She is also survived by nine grandchildren: Damon Wray Mathews and wife Kerrie; Cherie' Mathews Odom and husband James; Virginia Mathews Wigley and husband Shane; Catherine Layfield Semmes and husband Bobby; Matthew Layfield and wife Mindy; Frank Wray Mathews and wife Lindsay; Jessie Mathews Parker and husband John; Brian Myers and wife Melanie; and Daniel Myers and wife Alyssa; and a host of great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren. 

There will be a private graveside service. Burial were held at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, June 11, 2025 at Lynn Cemetery in Archibald, Louisiana, under the direction of Brown Holley Funeral Home.

Condolences may be left at brownholleyfuneralhomes.com.

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