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Obituary For Lucile Lewis Mathews
December 2, 1925 – January 13, 2026
Born on December 2, 1925, in Pinehill, Alabama, to the Reverend Porter and Nettie Ann Godbold Lewis. Lucile was the fifth of nine children. She was preceded in death by her parents and her siblings. As the last living sibling, she stood as the matriarch and final pillar of her generation at the age of 100.
A Foundation of Faith and Family
Raised on a farm where her father worked as a sharecropper, Lucile was a self-described "daddy’s girl" and a spirited tomboy. She could often be found alongside her father and brothers, chopping wood, sawing trees, and plowing fields with the mule. While she avoided the water, she found joy in the land—horseback riding and tending to her flower garden by the light of the moon. She inherited her creative spark from her mother, a gifted seamstress who could craft beautiful garments using nothing but newspaper patterns.
A Lifelong Learner and Teacher
Lucile attended Saint John’s School in Selma, AL which was the local Church. She was a great student and served as a teacher’s helper and began teaching others to read. Although she enjoyed sharing the gift of literacy with others, Lucile’s formal education at Saint John’s School in Selma concluded at the 7th grade, the highest level available at the time. In 1970, with the help of a tutor, she passed her GED on her very first attempt—an achievement she held close to her heart as a testament to her perseverance. Lucile proved that it is never too late to chase a dream.
A Legacy of Love
Lucile’s heart was large enough to encompass a vast and blended family. From her first marriage to the late David Fikes, Sr., she was blessed with five children. In her marriage to the late Columbus Prince, she gained three bonus children, and together they welcomed a daughter. Later in life, she found companionship and love with the late Earlie Mathews. Through this union, she gained six more bonus children.
A Servant’s Heart
Lucile’s life was anchored in her devotion to Christ. At an early age she was baptized and joined the Beach Island Baptist Church in Selma, AL. After moving to Birmingham in 1950, she joined Bethel Baptist Church. Her final spiritual home is at Zion Hill Baptist Church under Reverend Anthony Nabors. She served faithfully as a Deaconess, a member of the Matron Circle, a choir member, and a Sunday School teacher. Lucile is known for her strong and soulful voice; she was a familiar face at various churches throughout Birmingham. Some of her most requested songs were, “I Won’t Complain”, “See So Much” (which she sang with her late daughter, Nettie), “Thank You Lord”, “God will take care of you”, “I’m talking about Jesus”, “Been Running for Jesus a Long Time”, “Count Your Blessings”
Even after moving to Charlotte, NC, at age 97 to live with her daughter, Victoria, her devotion to God never wavered. She spent her Sundays "church-hopping" via YouTube, regularly joining the services of CN Jenkins Memorial Presbyterian, Friendship Baptist, Springfield Baptist, and many others. Known affectionately in Birmingham as the "Poem Lady," Lucile possessed a brilliant mind for verse, she often recited the poem, "Jealous Women,” from memory at a moment's notice. Her final years in Charlotte were enriched by new friendships made at the David Waymer Recreation Center where she played bingo and was a master teacher and competitive player of dominoes.
Lucile was an excellent cook. She enjoyed preparing meals for her family and friends. If you ever visited her home, you would often find a freshly baked cake on her table. Lucile impacted lives through the food she cooked, the homes she worked in, the poems she recited, and the wisdom she shared with everyone she met.
She was preceded in death by her siblings: Lula Lewis, Matthew Lewis, Lillie Grice, Sidney Lewis, Georgia Manns, Samuel Lewis, Lubertha Lewis, and Cleveland Lewis; children: Cora Hooks, Porter Fikes, Sr., Bernice Mills, Mary Hooks, Nettie M. Houston, Sam Prince, and Benjamin Fikes, Sr.; grandsons: Casimuir Mills, Jr. and Willie Haywood, Jr.; and great-grandsons: DeAndra Betts and Malcolm Mills.
Lucile Mathews, a woman of profound faith, strong spirit, and boundless love, transitioned peacefully to her eternal home on January 13, 2026 in Charlotte, NC. She leaves to cherish her memories: Willie Haywood, Sr.(Sarah) of Tuscaloosa, AL, David Fikes Jr. (Maple), Joe Fikes (Barbara), Earlean Reese, Lonnie J Mathews (Brenda), Arletha Smith (Willie) of Birmingham, AL, Ellen Boware (Michael) of Montgomery, AL, Victoria Prince of Charlotte, NC; 28 grandchildren, 49 great-grandchildren, 39 great-great-grandchildren, bonus sister, Hattie Gaines of Birmingham, Alabama, and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
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Jochelle Fikes sent Forever in Our Hearts Casket Adornment for Lucile Lewis Mathews - January 16, 2026
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