CINCINNATI (CNS)—Father George Mathis, 84, a native of Euclid, Ohio, and a Glenmary Home Missioner for 61 years, died peacefully Sunday, Aug. 26, in Kingsport, where he resided.
Father Mathis was ordained in 1955. He served in a wide range of roles as a Glenmarian, including as pastor of Tennessee, Georgia, and Kentucky missions; council member; department director; and liturgical environment artist, designer, and consultant.
“Father Mathis was a deeply spiritual, faithful, and artistically talented man who never hesitated to share his gifts with others,” said Father Chet Artysiewicz, Glenmary’s president. “He was a brother to us all and will be sorely missed.”
Following his ordination, he served as an associate pastor at missions in Franklin and Guthrie, Ky., and Swainsboro, Ga., before moving on to his first pastorate in Claxton, Ga., where he ministered from 1960 to 1965.
Father Mathis served in leadership roles in Glenmary for the next 13 years—as a council member, promotion and mission office director, and formation director—before pastoring missions in Pulaski and Fayetteville, Tenn. (1979-83).
Following these assignments, he was appointed Glenmary’s personnel director (1983-87) before returning to mission areas to pastor two more Kentucky missions in Vanceburg (1987-88) and Grayson (1988-93).
A funeral Mass was celebrated Aug. 30 at St. Matthias Church in Cincinnati. A burial followed in Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Cincinnati.
Memorials may be made to Glenmary Home Missioners, P.O. Box 465618, Cincinnati, OH 45246.
