of Maumelle, AR

October 18, 1920 - December 8, 2018

Constance Fern Mathews Bain AKA Connie & Mama Bain. At the beginning of time, God ordained that Connie begin her Earthly journey on October 18, 1920. He also knew she would depart peacefully in her sleep (after the worst night of her life) on December 8, 2018. At age 98, her soul moved to her Forever Heavenly Home. Connie's parents were O.D. & Stella Myrtle Whetstone Mathews. Connie was 5 when her mother passed unexpectedly. Her stepmother, Lochie, & and O.D. subsequently raised 11 gifted children during the Great Depression. Connie was able to skip 2 grades in Grammar School. As a child, Connie won a Charleston dance contest almost every week. The $1 prize she won paid for movie tickets for all 11 children and Lochie on Family Night. Connie graduated from Little Rock (Central) High School then enrolled, graduated and earned her nurse's cap at the Baptist Hospital Nursing School. She was promptly discovered by Jack Bain and he was smitten by the charms of that intelligent, witty, beautiful, petite Renaissance woman. The feelings were reciprocated and soon they were married and spent 53 mostly magical years together parenting Jackie Jr, Robert, and Rebecca. They were Poppy Bain and Mama Bain to 3 grandkids: Jack III (Todd,) Arrall, & Devre & great-grandparents to Dakota, Daeson, & Brooklyn. Connie was never a paid nurse but she was the reason her 3 children had 10, 11, and 12 years of perfect attendance in school. What amazing parents they were! Between the 2 they could do almost anything. During WWII Jack was drafted by the Army. He served with honor in the European Theater of Operations and became the 3rd most decorated Arkansan. After being almost mortally wounded he swam a river and crawled to safety so he could hopefully return someday to his wife and young son. At that time in history all spouses were given no details of the injuries. They had to go into the hospital room to find out in person. Connie and her toddler Jackie traveled to the Atlanta Hospital where Jack would spend the next couple of years being treated and undergoing extensive rehab for the severe injuries. At the boarding house Connie witnessed many, many wives return from their 1st and only visit. They packed, left, and ended their marriages. God bless the soldiers and their sacrifices for America! God bless the wives, like Connie, who honored their marriage vows! Connie found an apartment and got a job near Jack in Atlanta.

In the 1940s Connie and Jack moved to England, AR where Jack built a home with 11 well-used rooms and a backyard paradise for kids. Connie raised a garden, chickens, and the children of England in that backyard and at our table. No need for alarm clocks as we were awakened by the smell of bacon frying. Mama cooked 3 meals a day. An excerpt from an obit she wrote decades ago says, ''Most outstanding accomplishment: raised 3 normal, healthy children without ever owning or having a jar of peanut butter in my house!'' She did, however, include broccoli, cauliflower, & Brussels sprouts etc. often in her menus even in the 1940s! There were certainly many other accomplishments. She invented a Bain language of hundreds of words unique to our family. She created unbelievable clothes which she designed and sewed without patterns. She allowed legendary bunking parties during which she and Poppy Bain retreated to 1 bedroom and the girls had 10 rooms to roam through all night with their linty blankets. As the Mayor's wife she was the First Lady of England. She was the Secretary of the First Baptist Church of England where we were members & the children earned 12 years of perfect attendance. She sang on the radio 5 days each week in the Gospel Quartet, ''Silktones.'' It was comprised of 3 Pastors and Connie, with her melodic alto voice. She was a gifted gardener who in addition to vegetables grew vast amounts and types of gorgeous flowers. Connie could treat and heal all sorts of critters even birds with broken wings! She was very active in Church, civics, social, & school affairs.

When our family left our beloved hometown of England we relocated in Little Rock. Connie volunteered at Baptist Medical Center. She was coaxed into being on the payroll. She worked 12 years at BMC then retired early to minister to her elderly father before his passing. She, in succession, volunteered to assist many relatives and friends through their final years. When this ministry was no longer needed she was in her late 50s. She chose to enroll at UALR. She was greeted by professors singling her out on the 1st day of class & and telling her their office location in the event she needed ''extra help.'' In actuality they soon learned they needed her help. She would correct their mistakes, mistakes in textbooks & in effect became their teacher. She was a National Dean's List student throughout college and excelled in basically every subject. She received A++ (not a typo) on her papers. She graduated with a degree in Sociology, Gerontology, & Anthropology. She was invited to read her final research paper at the National Convention of Gerontologists in OKC. She could write pure magic. We pleaded unsuccessfully for her to write an autobiography. Her stories were spellbinding. In a room full of people, you could find her fast. Just look for the group with the most laughter which was being spurred on by her witty conversations. Mama could always add a surprising touch to anything. When she mailed my official Presidential Invitation to the Arkansas Inaugural Ball in D.C. there were a few coupons she had clipped from the paper enclosed in the same envelope. It's impossible to capture the essence of Mama with mere words... you had to be there.

This narrative has only scratched the surface of her accomplishments, but the value of a person's Earthly life exists primarily in the legacy they leave behind that molds others into being a better person than they would have been without that guidance/example. Mama raised a family of practicing Christians. She instilled in us the desire to love the Lord, worship, and all of God's creations as well as help others when possible & be grateful for our blessings. I have witnessed her driving around looking for the downtrodden on the streets so she could give them a little something to help them with life's struggles. She did things like anonymously purchase shoes for a family of barefoot children when she learned their mother has died. This is how she lived. She never forgot that she had 1 pair of shoes each school year that had soles made of cardboard by the end of the year and her underwear was made from empty flour sacks. Her first hospitalization was in 2013. As a Gold Star widow she paid nothing for her medical care courtesy of Poppy Bain's Purple Heart with 7 Cluster's, however, even though she became increasingly ill from 5:00 on, she refused to let me take her to the ER until after midnight ''so she wouldn't be charged for an extra day.'' My first memory of Mama was her beautiful fingernails with bright red polish. They later became stars along with the intended subjects of our home movies when she was behind the camera. I certainly had no idea those fingers were so gifted and would do thousands of things for others and us. Mama, enjoy your Real Home, you have given us 10,000 joys and more! Give our love to Poppy Bain and Jackie until we are together again.

We would like to acknowledge some Earthly Angels in Mama's life that allowed her to arrive at 98 in the best shape possible due to their care: PT Greg, Dr. Podrazik, Dr. Green, BRI 4th Floor Personnel, NP Alisa, neighbors Ron and Fred, the Coleman's. A Special Thank You goes to Arrall because without his help Mama would never have been able to stay in her home unassisted for the past 8+ years.

In lieu of flowers you may choose to send a Memorial donation to PHBC in Little Rock or First Baptist in England. You could also look for a person in need and hand them that change or buck you won't miss that would be a treasure to them.

The family would love for you to attend any or all of the following: Visitation at Roller-Chenal from 6:00 p.m. -7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 20, 2018. Memories and Music Celebration of Connie's Life at Pulaski Heights Baptist Church on Friday, Dec. 21 at 10:00. There will be refreshments following & a time to greet the family. Interment at Mulberry Cemetery in England at approximately noon following the events at PHBC, refreshments and visitation with the family will follow.

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