Mrs. Ina "Onita" Watkins Mata

Ina “Onita” Watkins Mata, 82, of Pearl, Mississippi, passed away July 14, 2017 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on July 16, 1934 in Carthage, Mississippi. Visitation will be 4-6 p.m. Sunday, July 16, 2017 and Monday, July 17 from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. service at Chancellor Funeral Home in Florence. Burial will follow in the Garden of Memories. Onita was a homemaker and a retired nursing assistant. She had worked at Baptist Hospital in Jackson, MS, MCH Medical Center in Odessa, TX, Jackie Nell School Business in Austin, TX and Home Health in Austin, TX. She was a survivor, having battled diabetes and dementia for many years. Onita’s hobbies included word find puzzles and walks with her grand dog “Daisy”. She loved sitting on her front porch waving at her neighbors, many who would stop and visit. She was known as “Mammaw” to the entire neighborhood. She cherished all of her extensive family. She is preceded in death by her parents, Dewey L Watkins and Ezell E. Watkins; brothers, H. Doyle Watkins and wife M. Phyllis Watkins and Ted Watkins; daughter, Victoria K. Lacey; son, Brian D. Sistrunk; sons-in-law, Robert “Bob” Maina and J. “Ray” Gurganus and grandson-in-law, W. “Craig” Cravens, Jr. Onita is survived by her son, Rayford O. Sistrunk, Jr. (Sonya); daughters, Beverly G. McGlaughlin (Carl) and Cynthia J. Mosley (Jerry); granddaughters, Charity J.J. Cravens and Jennifer M. Bryant; grandsons, Charles “Charley” W. Smith (Summer), Rayford O. Sistrunk III “Trey” (Sarah), Michael A. Smith (Jamie), William “Blaine” Sistrunk (Elizabeth), Jason D. Sistrunk and Andrew C. Sistrunk (Amber); 15 great grandchildren as well as numerous nieces, nephews, brothers and sisters-in-law, all of whom she loved very much. Pall bearers are Mrs. Mata's grandsons: Carl McGlothlin, Charley Smith, Trey Sistrunk, Blaine Sistrunk, Michael Smith, and Andrew Sistrunk