Mary Anita Matlock

Mary Anita Matlock was born February 4, 1951, in Inglewood, California to Malvin Claude Cody and Dorothy Mae (Main) Cody. She passed away on October 10, 2024. She is survived by her husband Ronnie, his kids, Cynthia, Aurora, and Ronnie Jr., their kids totaling 12 great grands and 8 great-great grands; her brother, Malvin Bryant and wife Joanne Cody their 3 kids; Kimberly, Kristina, and Kenneth, plus their kids totaling 9 great nephews and nieces plus 5 great-great nephews and nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents Malvin and Dorothy, half-brother, Joel Hudgins, her grandparents Albert and Hollie Gibson/Cody, George and Myrtle Main, aunts and uncles, Dean and Mildred Walker, Barbara Walker, Eugene and Ingrid Cody, Leon Cody, and two best adult friends, Fredia Sterling and Betty Ross. Mary attended school in Westchester High School in Westchester, California. After completing high school, she went to Beautician School and work in that trade until moving to Shawnee, Oklahoma with her parents in 1976 upon their retirement. Her parents were originally from that area. Mary kept in touch throughout the years with special childhood friends Donna Smith, Fredia Sterling and her son Keith, and teacher Betty Ross a noted literary figure. After arriving in Oklahoma, she found a job at a Nursing Home in Shawnee; in which she found more joy in taking care of others. She, her mother and her brothers’ kids would attend the Church of Christ in Shawnee every Sunday as much as possible. Mary is a member of that church. She met her future husband through a blind date setup by her aunt and uncle (Walker) who found him to be a caring person with 3 young children. After the first few dates she told her mom, aunt and uncle this is the one for me. They were married 3 months later on October 24, 1987, at a rural home side in Norman, Oklahoma. She called his kids her own and raised them lovingly. She would tell others throughout the years “He is the best husband anyone could ask for.” Around 1990, she attended the Gibson/Cody family reunion and met her country singing cousin “Anita Bryant”. She was thrilled for weeks thereafter to have been able to talk and shake her hand. Shortly after marriage she obtained work as a Certified Nursing Aide at the Oklahoma Department of Veterans Affairs. This was a 301-bed nursing home for veterans only in Norman, Oklahoma. She found caring for veterans was more pleased since his dad, uncles, and husband were veterans. She worked there for 27 years before retiring in May 2013 after her husband has retired from the same place. Her father had retired from the Arm tank division as TSGT and served as an honor guard for General George S. Patton, December 24, 1945. While employed at the veteran’s facility, she helped the American Veterans (AMVETS) Organization raise funds for Christmas Presents for each veteran there. She also helped give out those presents and would help AMVETS serve snow cones to all during summer months. Every Veteran she met during fund raisers and after retiring, she would thank them for their service. After retiring, her and her husband bought a small farm in Anadarko, Oklahoma spending years improving the place and purchasing cattle. Numerous neighbors would comment how exceptionally nice the farm looked. They planted fruit and pecan trees, raise a large garden. She would give fruit and vegetables throughout the Summer to all the surround neighbors and relatives, this continued for years. She named the bull “Hercules” and would feed him and the other cattle vegetables, fruits, and cubes by hand and would get tickled how the tongues felt rough. They were pets to her. She would show the grandkids how to do the same and that’s what they would do when visiting. She attended he first High School 42 reunion of 1969 September 2011. It was the most wonderful experience meeting her best friends plus visiting her house where she grew up. Next to her friend’s house is an inland river/lake park where the Tarzan movies were made of him diving and swimming. While working at the Norman Veterans Home she learned from a resident to reverse your birthday year making you young; she would tell that to many friends and relatives laughing each time. When she was feeling low, or just out of the blue, her husband would make different funny faces making her laugh, soon as she stops laughing, he would do it again making her laugh even harder., She enjoyed this so much then would hug her husband and she always felt good after that. Then when she was bored at home her husband would take her tiding around different country sides looking at different animals, homes, and scenery. He would also take her to movies most weekends and also you dine out in different towns. She would try to attend most all the grandkids’ birthdays and made sure each had a gift from her and her husband. She enjoyed being around grand kids, when taking pictures with them she would make funny faces behind them showing up in the picture. She enjoyed making numerous banana nut bread from her mom’s recipe and would give them to neighbors. Relatives, and her hair stylist Mary Smith. Every dog they had, she picked out, named them and would take them personally to the vet every year. She spoiled them with love so much that all they wanted was to be patted by all strangers, some guard dogs they turned out to be but they would bark letting us know people were coming up the road and would be wagging their tails hard waiting to be patted. She enjoyed their company secondly to her husband of course. Visitation will be held Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Smith Funeral Home Chapel from 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM. Funeral services are set for Tuesday, October 15, 2024, at 11:00 AM at the Smith Funeral Home Chapel. She will be laid to rest at the Memory Lane Cemetery following the service. Services are under the direction of Smith Funeral Home.

Mary Anita Matlock

February 4, 1951 - October 10, 2024

Explore Obituaries &
Upcoming Services