HARRISBURG -- Dewayne Mathews, 52, died at 10:30 p.m. May 1, 2017, surrounded by his family.
Wayne, as he was called, was born Aug. 15, 1964, in Harrisburg to Freda and Charles ''Tommy'' Mathews.
Survivors include his daughter, Ashley Lynn Mathews of West Frankfort; granddaughters, MacKenna and Audrey; brother, Randy Milligan of Eldorado; four sisters, Janice (Marvin) Thomas of Cave-in-Rock, Donna (Corky) Winters of Golconda, Teresa Dutton of Cave-in-Rock and Sheila (Jim) Shelby of Rosiclare; 16 nieces and nephews, 43 great-nieces and great-nephews; six great-great-nieces and great-great-nephews; and many cousins and friends.
He was preceded in death by both of his parents, Charles "Tommy" and Freda Mathews; grandparents, Bryant and Stella Parkinson and Robbie Smock and Ed Mathews; and brother-in-law, Terry Dutton.
Wayne spent his earliest years in Yellow Springs in rural Hardin County, where he loved being outside with the family's farm animals. In first grade, the family moved to Harrisburg to the land that he still lived on.
He moved to Hardin County as a young adult. Wayne also lived for a short while in Wisconsin. He had many jobs such as laying carpet and working on barges, but none that he loved as much as he did while working for Harrisburg Park District as maintenance foreman. His family often joked with him that no one could love a job that much, but he truly did.
Uncle Wayne loved to ride motorcycles and tinkering on old trucks. He enjoyed the outdoors like hunting and fishing. He enjoyed nature so much that he was an active member of the Arbor Foundation.
He loved all music, but especially his '80s rock music. Nieces and nephews can attest to hearing "don't mess with my stereo now" at least once in their lives! Uncle Wayne always enjoyed the taste of a good beer! He even asked Brother Mike Dutton, before being saved, if he could still drink a beer and God still love him.
Not everyone knew that he loved gardening and canning, which he picked up from his momma. Uncle Wayne and his siblings never had much growing up, but they knew they would always have each other.
Uncle Wayne was blessed on June 4, 1987, with his one and only child, Melissa Fulford, a daughter in which they named Ashley Lynn Mathews. Ashley blessed Uncle Wayne with two beautiful granddaughters, MacKenna and Audrey.
Uncle Wayne started having what he thought was a minor illness in December of 2016. In February, the family was told the devastating news of Stage 4 lung, brain and bone cancer. He fought this terrible disease, never giving up on faith that he would be healed. On April 18, 2017, he accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior and gained his ultimate healing.
Uncle Wayne will be sadly missed and loved by everyone who knew him.
