Dana J. Lee Matheny

Dana was born in Minneapolis, MN on September 13, 1933. She moved to Tacoma, WA at age 9 where she grew up, finished high school, and married, a union that remained intact for 57 years. She was a licensed practical nurse for quite some time, then went back to school to attain a registered nurse status.

Her constant goal was to read, and re-read the Bible, to saturate herself with God's Word, and to share with others as she taught Sunday school classes at various churches for many years. At the time of her passing she was a member at First Baptist Church, Woodbury, TN.

Dana left her temporary home in Readyville, TN to take up eternal residence with her Lord on July 1, 2020. As her son, I can assure you that she believed that "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Rom. 3:23), but she trusted in the fact that Jesus Christ died on the cross for her sins, according to the scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the scriptures (I Cor. 15:3, 4). She knew that this was the only way to have salvation and a place in heaven with her Lord.

Her husband, her children, and friends, both saved and unsaved, all let her down at some point, but her Lord always stood by her side and saw her through every storm. She would want all who read these words to ponder their own mortality, knowing that death comes to all, but the sting, the very curse of death can be overcome when one trusts in Jesus Christ alone.

Those who predecease her are her husband, Paul B. Matheny, who died on Thanksgiving Day, 2008, and one grandchild, who was obviously very special since the Lord brought the child home early due to a miscarriage. She leaves behind her sons; Mike (Pam), Tim (Dawn), Mark (Julie) and her daughter Polly, and numerous grandchildren and great grandchildren.

If you find that you were the recipient of some of Mother's encouraging words or actions, make sure to give God the glory and ask Him to use you to minister to others in like manner.

Dana donated her body to the Vanderbilt Anatomical Donation Program to help future doctors and nurses learn to care for others. She did not really need it since she knew she would be getting a new body one day upon her Lord's return.

Special thanks go out to Helen Davenport and the entire staff at Woodbury Nursing and Rehabilitation Center for their compassionate care and for providing my mom an environment to pass with dignity.

If anyone wishes to express condolences, please consider supporting the Gideon Ministry or Through the Bible Ministry with Vernon McGee. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date.