Charles Mathis

"THE STEPS OF A GOOD MAN ARE ORDERED BY THE LORD: AND HE DELIGHTED IN HIS WAY." PSALM 37:23 Charles L. "Sonny" Mathis, 80, of Moss Bluff, LA met the Lord in Heaven on Monday, March 31, 2014. He was surrounded by his loving family in a local hospital after a brief illness. He was born January 11, 1934 in Wharton, TX but moved to Moss Bluff as a young boy with his family. He graduated from Gillis High School in 1952. He married Jeanette Cormier of Lake Charles on March 28, 1954. They were married 60 wonderful years. He had a magnificent vision for Moss Bluff and began to make it a reality with a grocery business in 1958. He brought the first Conoco 4 pump gas station to Moss Bluff, then opened & operated Sonny's Supermarket on Hwy 378. Throughout the years he developed Park Dell Shopping Center & Market Basket Food Store, the Parish library, post office, Hixson Funeral Home, apartments, U Lock It mini warehouses, & South Park Manor I & II in Moss Bluff. Even at 80 years old you could still see Sonny, in his khakis, working on jobs in Moss Bluff. Sonny was an active member of First Baptist Church of Moss Bluff where he served as deacon, Sunday School teacher, & on the building committee. Sonny loved his three children, six grandchildren, & two great-grandchildren. He spent many happy years following them in marching bands, drama & music productions, sports events, graduations, and vacations. He is survived by his wife, Jeanette Mathis, of Moss Bluff; daughter, Tara Mathis Stone & husband Randy, of Covington LA; daughter, Renee' Mathis LaRocque & husband Bryan, of Moss Bluff; son, Todd Mathis & wife Debbie Manning Mathis, of Lake Charles. Six grandchildren: Joni Stone Shore & husband, Ryan of Knoxville, TN; Kyle Larocque & wife Samantha of Cypress, TX; Brennan LaRocque & wife Alicia, of Moss Bluff; Tanner Mathis of Lake Charles; Ashlee LaRocque of Moss Bluff; & Tyler Mathis of Lake Charles. Two great-grandchildren: Bryson & Briggs LaRocque, & one sister, Berna Deane Reeves of Gillis, LA. He was preceded in death by his parents, Homer & Hazel Mathis, and one sister, Evelyn Mathis Hebert. His funeral service will be at 11:00 am on Saturday, April 5, 2014 at First Baptist Church of Moss Bluff with visitation from 9:00-11:00 am. Dr. Steve Bennett will officiate the service. Burial will follow at Consolata Cemetery under the direction of Johnson Funeral Home. Visitation will be at the church on Friday, April 4th, from 4:00-8:00 pm.