Bernice Mattox

On July 19th, 2012, Bernice Elizabeth Mattox began her eternal rest with her heavenly Father. She was born to Clarence Matlock and Bernice Davis of Indianapolis on August 13th, 1915. The couple had seven other children. Bernice was graduated from Manual High School in 1932. The following year, she married William Miles Mattox, but continued her education at Butler and IUPUI as an Early Childhood education major. After raising three children, she founded LeeAnne Kindergarten in 1951, a 23-year institution which innovatively incorporated music, dance, rhythmics and Reading Readiness techniques in teaching pre-K and kindergarten students. To this day, her grandchildren tell stories of running into adults who fondly remember taking Bernice's kindergarten classes. Like the good servant in the Book of Matthew who doubled the money his master gave him through wise investment, Bernice invested everything God gave her in the education of her students and her own children: she used her body for dance, her voice for singing and her mind for teaching. Furthermore, as a dedicated Christian, she was a lifelong member of East 91st Street Christian Church, Mustard Seed Bible Study, and Hope Church Bible Study. Bernice was preceded in death by her husband William M. Mattox Sr., son William M. Mattox, Jr., three brothers and two sisters. She is survived by daughters Marilyn Mattox Frank and Judith Mattox Bridgewater, sisters Leola Dinnage and Phyllis Moore, thirteen grandchildren and twenty-seven great grandchildren. Visitation will be on Sunday, July 22nd, from 2-6 p.m. at the Broad Ripple Flanner & Buchanan mortuary, 1305 Broad Ripple Ave. Funeral services will be held Monday, July 23rd at 11 a.m. with burial to follow at Crown Hill Cemetery. You are invited to go to the Guest Book page to pass along your personal message or tell a story. Sincerely, -Your friends at Flanner and Buchanan