Anna Katherine Oates, beloved mother, sister, aunt and grandmother, was welcomed into Heaven on January 6, 2021. She was born on December 23, 1944, in High (Lamar County), Texas, to Arnold Dale Oates, Sr. and Beulah Endsley Oates. She was preceded in death by her husband Loyd Mathews, her sister Susan Davis and her parents.
Anna grew up in Paris and attended schools there, graduating from Paris High School in 1962. She attended East Texas State University and earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in August 1968. Anna began a 33-year career as a High School English teacher in Royce City, Texas, before moving to Paris in the early 70s. She taught English at Paris High School until retirement in December 1999. Anna was a compassionate, dedicated and highly-skilled teacher who was loved and respected by many of her students. She was the yearbook sponsor for many years and received a variety of honors, including being chosen as a Teacher of the Year for Paris ISD.
Anna was a woman of great faith and a devout Christian. She was a life-long member of the First Baptist Church where for many years she taught a Sunday school class for older women. It was in this senior department that she met the love of her life, Loyd Mathews. They were married in December 1997 and cherished their lives together before his death in February 2008.
Left to mourn Anna’s passing are her children Charles Desmarais and wife Cyndi, Leslie Pope and wife Tish, and Ashley Pope and husband Colin Woodworth; brother Arnold (Sonny) Oates and wife Martha and sister Linda Spaits and husband, Joe. She is also survived by her grandsons Jonathon Desmarais, Landon and Larsen Pope and Chase Woodworth; niece Katherine Erickson and husband Doug and their daughter Taylor Anne Jester and husband Justin; nephew Mark Oates and wife Christi and their daughters Elizabeth and Rebecca; niece Beth Duck and husband David, nephews Jay Davis and wife Kimberly, Brad Davis and wife Erin and Rocky Blair and wife Rachel.
The family wishes to thank the compassionate nurses and doctors at Hospice of East Texas and the Memory Care staff at Meadow Lake Senior Living in Tyler who took loving care of Anna for almost four years.
A graveside service will be held at the Evergreen Chapel of Evergreen Cemetery on Saturday, January 16, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. under the direction of Bright-Holland Funeral Home. Rev. Ken Cannon will officiate. The family requests that masks be worn to limit potential exposure to illness. Memorial gifts may be made to the
Anna Oates Mathews Scholarship administered by the Paris Education Foundation, PO Box 356, Paris, TX 75461-0356 (pariseducationfoundation.com).
To leave a message or tribute for the family please visit www.brighthollandfuneralhome.com
