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Our Lord wrapped his arms around MARGARET MATSON (DEWBERRY) on January 4, 2020 in Little Rock. Mrs. Matson was surrounded by her husband of 52 years, Harry “Buddy” Matson, and her son Tracy
Mrs. Matson was born July 31, 1934 in White County, was raised on a farm near Harmony, Arkansas and graduated as salutatorian from Searcy High School. She graduated college from Henderson State University.
Margaret began her teaching career at Bald Knob High School and joined the faculty of Little Rock Central High School in 1957. At Little Rock Central, she served as the chair of the English Department, retiring in 1986. She was one of the teachers caught in the desegregation crisis at the school and was among teachers without students in 1958-1959 due to the crisis.
At the 50th reunion of the Central Colass of 1952, she recalled the activities of the teachers without students during that time. A copy of that presentation rests at the Little Rock Central Historical Site Museu,m just off campus.
Among her greatest passions was the Central football program. Each year she would require her 10th grade students to learn the school Alma Mater.
Her first test to students on the first Friday of school was to sing the Alma Mater in class. She loved to be a spectator at all the sports at Central and she continued to follow and cheer for the Tigers long after she retired from teaching.
Margaret and Buddy met in her first year as a teacher at Little Rock Central and enjoyed a nine-year courtship before being married in the Bale Chapel at Asbury United Methodist Church.
They resided in West Little Rock and enjoyed traveling the country to attend
Civitan conventions. In her retirement, she managed the books for The Matson Insurance Agency, the insurance agency owned by Buddy and Tracy. She took great joy in spending time with her granddaughter Emily.
Many who knew Margaret know that her face lit up at the mention of Elvis Presley, whom she met while visiting his pre-Graceland home on Audubon Drive with members of the Arkansas Elvis Presley Fan Club. For any who doubted the story, Margaret produced proof - a photo of Elvis with his arm around her. While posing for the photo, Elvis told her he wished his English teacher was as pretty as she.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents Carthel and Mattie, her brothers James and Eugene and sister-in-law Harriett Harper.
In addition to Buddy, Tracy (Allison) and Emily, she is survived by her sister Leah Moss and niece Maggie Moss of Paris, Texas, brother-in-law Hop Harper of Baxter Springs, Kansas, sister-in-law Midge Abercrombie and niece Pam Abercrombie (Johnny) of Little Rock, and nephews Russ Harper, David Harper, and Skip Harper of Baxter Springs, Kansas.
A funeral service was held at Asbury United Methodist Church in Little Rock at 10 a.m., Wednesday, January 8, 2020.
Visitation was 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, January 7, 2020 at Roller-Chenal Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to Asbury United Methodist Church, 1700 Napa Valley Drive, Little Rock, 72212, where she and Buddy were members for 52 years.
Please also consider memorials to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Arkansas, 312 West Pershing Boulevard, North Little Rock, 72114.
The family would like to thank the staff in the H Wing of the ICU at UAMS for their outstanding care.
Margaret Dewbwerry
Matson, English
Department Chair
Little Rock Central
Class of 1962
Remembering Teachers and Staff
Star Returns
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