Alta Jean Mathias

Alta Jean Smith Mathias, 89, of Dover, passed away on Wednesday, May 29, 2013 at New Dawn Retirement Community in Dover after a brief illness. Born August 23, 1923 in Port Washington, Ohio, she was the youngest child of Thomas Alexander and Nettie (Vorhees) Smith. She is preceded in death by her husband, Paul W. Mathias, whom she married on October 10, 1953 at Wooster, Ohio. Alta was a lifelong member of the community who enjoyed spending time at the Tuscarawas County Senior Center and talking to her granddaughters on the phone.

She is survived by her daughter, Betty J. Baker Roth; three granddaughters, Shayna D. (fiancé, Tony Wesolowski) Roth of Zephyr Hills, Florida, Buffy Jo Mathews of Flushing, Michigan and Megan P. Mathews of New Philadelphia; two grandsons, David M. Mathews and Brian K. Mathews of Dover; nine great-grandchildren, Devlin, Katarina and Alex Mathews of New Philadelphia, C.J. Mathews of Dover, Megan K. Mathews of Alma, Arkansas, Jeremiah Gandy of Angleton, Texas, and Scarlett Coleman and Daphene and Sophie Mathews of New Philadelphia; two nephews, James L. (Stephanie) Smith of Dennison, George (Rhonda) Mathias of Westminster, Colorado; two great nieces, Cindy (David) Weber of Dover and Melissa Price of New Philadelphia; two cousins, Rosalie Youngman of Dover and Paula Drummond of New Philadelphia. In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by a great-grandson, Jaime Lee Mathews; a niece, Carol Baer; a nephew, Marvin Ennis; four brothers; and three sisters.

In keeping with Alta’s wishes, she has been cremated without a public visitation or service and will be interred with her beloved husband and with her mother-in-law, Leona Gettle, at Dover Burial Park.