Donnie Ruth Barrett Mathison, 83, died Sunday, December 7, 2003, at her home in Carbon.  Funeral services were held at 11:00 a.m., Tuesday, December 9, 2003 at the Bakker Funeral Home Chapel, Kerry Williams and Joe Wilson officiated.  Interment followed in the Bear Springs Cemetery.

Born Donnie Ruth Barrett on February 28, 1920, at Jewell, Texas, she was the daughter of Joseph and Willie May (Murray) Barnett.  She grew up in the Carbon area and graduated from Carbon High School.  She married Elmer D. Mathison on May 12, 1950, in Rising Star, Texas.  She lived in several places including Brownwood,  before retiring to Carbon in 1972.  Mrs. Mathison was a homemaker and mother and a member of Flatwood Church of Christ.  She was preceded in death by her husband, Elmer, in 1998. 

Survivors are two sons, Joe Stewart of Irving and Paul Mathison of Lubbock; two daughters, Ruth Martin of Brownwood and Barbara Jenkins of Round Rock; a brother, Arvel Barnett of Gorman; two sisters, Connie Cate and Dortha Cate, both of Eastland; nine grandchildren and ten great-great-grandchildren.