Madeline P. "Mat" Justis, 77, of Greenwood, Indiana, was called to meet her Lord on Thursday, October 19, 2023.
Mat was born Madeline Pearl Glass in Altoona, Pennsylvania, January 11, 1946, and raised in Cresson, Pennsylvania, by mother Maude Elizabeth (Brown) Glass and father Clarence Thomas "Mope" Glass.  Through his life Mope was both a miner and a railroad man. Mat was proud of her heritage, a true coal miner's daughter.

Growing up in Cresson, she attended public schools and graduated from Cresson Joint High School in 1963 with studies in business administration. Shortly afterward, Mat left the small town of Cresson and joined others of her family already residing in Baltimore, Maryland.  There, she was employed by Lucas Brothers Stationery and, later, the Commercial Credit Corp. of Baltimore.

In 1966, Mat met William Martines "Marty" Justis, IV.  The two were married November 18, 1967, at St. Luke's Lutheran Church in Lilly, Pennsylvania.
In their marriage they were blessed with two sons, Michael Thomas Justis, wife Kristen Leigh (Thacker) Justis, and Martin Christopher Justis, wife Jennifer Nellie (Durr) Justis.  Together they gifted Mat and Marty with seven grandchildren. Of Michael: William Matthew Justis, Andrew Holland Justis, Aiden Michael Justis, and Kelsey Leigh Justis. Of Martin: Addison Pearl Justis, Andrea Christina Justis, and Amelia Kate Justis.  At the time of Mat's passing, she was awaiting the birth of her first Great Grandchild, of Addison and fiancé Adrian Adams.

In 1978, the family relocated to Greenwood, Indiana. With her sons coming of school age at the time, Mat volunteered as a kindergarten aid at West Grove Elementary School, part of the Center Grove School System in Johnson County, Indiana. Mat remained a classroom volunteer for many years, during which time she became a Title I Aide and tutored elementary school students in the "Three R's."  After 15 years of employment with the school system, Mat retired in 1995, when her first grandchild, William Matthew, arrived. She did so, intent on devoting her time, eventually, to each of her grandchildren through the early years of their education. Mat truly delighted in this part of her life.

A creative person by nature, Mat developed a deep interest in craftwork that included knitting, needlepoint, crocheting and painting. Eventually, she settled into card making. It was considered a treasured gift to everyone in the family when they received original, personalized birthday, Christmas or special occasion cards handmade by Grandma Justis. Mat was active in Stampin' Up, an international organization of card crafters.  Mat took classes and taught classes on the art of card making and greatly enjoyed both aspects of the hobby.

Mat enjoyed walking and met the challenge of three Indy 500 Mini-Marathons.
A member of Mt. Olive Lutheran Church at the time of her passing, Mat always looked eagerly to Sunday services there.  Active in the Lutheran Church for more than 50 years, Mat was part of the Lutheran Church Women (LCW).  In that time she served some 20 years as altar guild chairperson and prepared the altar for worship each week.

Totally wrapped in the lives of the young Justis children, Mat rarely missed a recital, a school play, an orchestral performance, a baseball game, basketball game, or a marching band competition that included her sons and her grandchildren. All of them were always the center of her world.
Mat was preceded in death by her mother Maude and her father Mope; by her step-brother William F. "Beansy" Hamilton, formerly of Scottsboro, Alabama; and sister Joyce Ann (Glass) Sweet, formerly of Salisbury, Maryland. Surviving brother Clarence T. "Bud" Glass, Jr., resides in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

Viewing at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, 1977 South State Road 135, Greenwood, IN 46143, Thursday, October 26, 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Viewing at Mt. Olive Lutheran Church, 5171 W. Smokey Row Road, Greenwood, IN 46143, Friday, October 27, 10:00 am with a Service of Christian Burial at 11:00 am. Interment at Forest Lawn Memory Gardens, immediately following the Service of Christian Burial.

Donations

Memorial contributions, in Mat's name, may be made to Mt. Olive Lutheran Church Quilt Ministry, or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.