Ms. Anne Willoughby Mathis

Anne Willoughby Mathis, 85, moved on to her heavenly home on December 21, 2024. Born Agnes Anne Willoughby on March 31, 1939, in Louisville, KY, Anne packed a lifetime of joy, faith, and just enough sass into her 85 years. She was predeceased by her parents, Gertrude (Gert) Elizabeth McFarland and William (Bill) Howard Willoughby, and her brother William (Bud) Baird Willoughby—who, no doubt, greeted her in heaven with a drink and some good gossip. Anne grew up in Copper Hill, TN, where she collected lifelong friends and plenty of Southern charm. A proud graduate of Sacred Heart Catholic Boarding School in Cullman, AL, she embraced her role as a Southern debutante, even attending finishing school in West Palm Beach, FL. Beneath her polished demeanor was a spirited woman who loved to dance and could teach anyone a move or two as an Arthur Murray dance instructor. In Atlanta, GA, Anne met her husband, Michael Hester Mathis. They married in 1963, raising three sons—Michael, Patrick, and Andrew—and building a successful automotive supply business in Grants, NM. For Anne, Grants became home, and her friends there became family. After her marriage ended in 1987, Anne turned her focus to faith, family, and friends. Her door was always open, her baking unforgettable, and her home filled with laughter (and a little smoke and beer). She had a remarkable knack for finding joy in small moments and sharing it with others. Anne didn’t believe in rushing—anything. Whether baking, chatting, or simply living, she savored every moment. A devoted caretaker, she lovingly tended to her parents until their final days, a testament to her resilience. Her later years took her across the country, following her sons to Colorado, Albuquerque, and finally to Mobile, AL, where she spent her golden years with her ex-husband, Michael, and his partner, Mary. True to her spirit, Anne enjoyed life until the very end—smoking her smokes, sipping her beer, and laughing at life’s absurdities. Anne leaves behind her sons: Michael William Mathis of Theodore, AL; Patrick Michael Mathis (Jennifer) of Daphne, AL; Andrew Donald Mathis (Charles Robillard) of Albuquerque, NM; five grandchildren: Jolie Suzanne Cutchshaw of Gainesville, GA; Sydney Littrell of Cleveland, GA; Grace Eloise Mathis and Jaxon Emilio Mathis of Albuquerque, NM; and Declan Liam Mathis of Daphne, AL; two great-grandchildren, Winston and Edison Littrell of Cleveland, GA; three nieces: Angela Lopez and family of Dallas, TX; Merritt Willoughby of Albuquerque, NM; Scarlett Willoughby of Grants, NM; their families, and countless friends blessed by her love for life. She believed deeply in faith, fun, and friendship—and in the idea that God loves us just as we are, smokes and all. In her honor, take a moment to slow down, share a laugh, and toast to Anne with a beer. She’d love that. Services will be held at St Vivian's Catholic church in Milan, NM on January 23, 2025 at 10:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking for donations to assist with funeral expenses: https://gofund.me/ac25f5a0

Ms. Anne Willoughby Mathis

March 31, 1939 - December 21, 2024