Mattie Mae Smith was born on December 16, 1948 to the late Henry Murphy and Mary Washington Ingram in Perthshire, MS.

Mattie confessed her love for Jesus Christ at an early age and remained steadfast in her faith throughout her life.  She joined a local church in Gunnison, MS where she attended regularly before moving to Chicago, IL.

Mattie attended Bob Woods Elementary School in Gunnison, MS.

Mattie lived life on her own terms.  She was feisty, spoke her mind and always did things her way until the very end.  She had a love for cats, red roses, watching old western movies, the Chicago Bears and soap opera shows.

Mattie also chased the big jackpot.  She would play the daily lottery games along with a few scratch-off tickets.  She always thought that she would hit it bit one day.  Even in her final weeks, she would always ask about her lottery tickets.

Mattie departed this life on June 28, 2026 at Elmhurst Hospital in Elmhurst, IL.  She is preceded in death by her parents, Henry Murphy and Mary Washington Ingram; stepfather, Theodore Ingram; Stepsister, Rosebud Ingram; husband, Jimmie Lee Smith, life partner, Howard Jones and her children, Jimmy Murphy, Jr., Teresa Smith and Michael Smith.

Mattie moved to Chicago, IL in the late 60s with her then husband, Jimmie Lee Smith who also preceded her in death.  She lived on the west side of Chicago, IL until she moved back to Gunnison, MS in 1992 to care for her elderly mother.  During this time, she met and shared her life with her partner, Howard (Dick) Jones who preceded her in death.