Thursday, March 27, 2025
Madelynne Laverne Deavers, age 93, of Abilene, passed away on Feb. 20, 2025. Funeral services were held at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at Scott’s Funeral Home in Gatesville. Interment followed at King Cemetery.
Madelynne Laverne Deavers was born in Glasscock County on April 4, 1931. Madie was a housewife until she began substitute teaching in Lamesa after all four of her children started school. While living in El Paso, Madelynne taught at Blessed Sacrament School before moving back to Lamesa where she served as the administrator of the Head Start program for West Texas Opportunities to their locations in Lamesa, Seminole, and Andrews. Madie loved JESUS and loved to sing hymns loudly and slightly off key. She volunteered at many church functions throughout her lifetime. Madie was a former member of Proctor Baptist Church in Proctor and was a current member of Ridgemont Baptist Church in Abilene.
Madie always had a smile for everyone and, if asked how she was doing, her standard answer each time was “fine.” She could have a throbbing headache or be down in her back, but the word “pain” was not in her vocabulary, so she never confided that to anyone and was always, “fine.”
Madie’s passions were cleaning her home and preparing a three-course meal with at least two different desserts and sometimes three to finish it off. She loved to entertain and had numerous parties for family, friends, neighbors, and strangers. She was a social butterfly and enjoyed visiting with anyone who would stop by or call. She loved her flower gardens and puttered around in them each and every day. Even after her spinal cord stroke, when she was able to walk again, the first thing she wanted to do was go outside to see if her children had taken care of her yard the year she was incapacitated. There were daily instructions as to what to plant here and what to move over there. Even after moving to Chisholm Court Assisted Living, her son, David, (the only child who took after her with his green thumb and a passion for flowers) kept a flower bed growing outside of her room according to the instructions she laid out for him each day, and she would go outside to inspect everything weather permitting, or she would gaze out her window if the weather was inclement.
Madie, Mom, Ninny, Sam was ALWAYS upbeat in her demeanor and is to be admired for her adaptability in all circumstances, no matter what was happening in her life, be it her numerous surgeries, illnesses, the move to assisted living from her home or the loss of her beloved Glenn. That smile and those twinkling eyes were always there for all to see. She will be dearly missed by family and all who had the privilege of knowing her.
Madelynne was preceded in death by her husband, Glenn W. Deavers; parents, Emmett Eugene and Bettie Almira Hale Dickie; sister, Bettie Kate Mattiza; brother Rhabb (Bubba) Dickie; and brothers-in-law, Kenneth Kettler and Ira D. (Tex) Mattiza.
She is survived by her daughter, Debbie Barnes (Tom Hale), of Brownwood; sons, Ricky Corley (Cindy) and David Corley (Karen), of Abilene, and Tom Corley, of Glendale, AZ; grandchildren, Ami Brown (Jeff), of Knoxville, TN, Amanda Vidrine (Kurt), of Abilene, Kirk Corley, of Mobile, AL, Kade Corley (Rachel), of Cedar Hill, Beth Glaeser (Ryan), of Scottsdale, AZ, Tom T. Corley, of Glendale, AZ, and Quin Corley, of Copley, OH; ten great-grandchildren; stepchildren, Vickie Burnett, Kathy Burnett Coffman and family, of Lamesa, Lisa Johnson and family, of Bridgeport, Kami Deavers, of Abilene, and Greg Deavers (Carla) and family, of Stillwater, OK; sister, Gloria Elizabeth (Dodie) Dickie Kettler and her son, Shawn Kettler and family; sister-in-law, Joy Hitt Dickie and her son, Eugene and family and her daughter, Lynne; and numerous cousins and friends.
The family would like to extend their sincere gratitude to Hendrick Hospice, Angels Care Home Health and the loving staff at Chisholm Court Assisted Living. Their special care and attention to detail helped Madie enjoy the last few years of her life.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests sending memorials to Ridgemont Baptist Church, 4857 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene, TX 79606.
