Velma Mathis

A brief account of Velma Ruby (Segar) Mathis' history and spiritual journey, written by Velma with assistance from Pauline. My twin sister, Vesta Ruth Segar, and I were born July 21, 1923 to Milton and Mabel Segar on their farm in Blairsburg, Iowa. I grew up on the farm and attended Blairsburg schools as a part of a family of seven children. My sister and I had an older half-brother, Victor Mikesh, and another older brother, Kenneth Segar, and two older sisters, Irene and Delores Segar, along with a younger brother, Wilbur Segar. We grew up during the years of the Great Depression. During my childhood, my oldest sister, Irene Segar, was killed in a school bus accident in 1930. As a child, I attended a church only once. Neighbors took me to a Christmas program. My spiritual knowledge was limited to participation in grade school Christmas programs and a series of daily radio programs depicting the life of Christ. While in high school, I remember reading a newspaper article on the life of Jesus Christ. As years went by, I married my husband, Paul Mathis, on May 25th 1940. His family was religious. My husband and I had two children, Pauline and Ronald, but in our early years of marriage we did not attend church. I felt very much in the dark about spiritual things. At 22 years of age, I became aware that God, death, and hell were a reality. My oldest brother, Victor, committed suicide in Jan. 1946 and at his funeral, the officiating minister communicated that those who were not ready to meet God, were not automatically on their way to heaven. For several years, I lived in fear, as I did not know how to become ready to meet God. I thought surely I must join a church or participate in some of the church's ordinances. But God moved us to Webster City and a church where we were given the opportunity to hear God's Word preached. I learned that God loved me and that Jesus Christ, God's son, had come to earth. Most importantly, I learned that Jesus died on the cross and took that punishment as payment for my sins. By my repenting to God for my sins and receiving Jesus into my life by faith, as my Savior, I could be ready to meet my God on His terms. It was a joyful time when I put my faith (trust) in Jesus Christ alone for my eternal salvation. In Dec. 1951, my husband and I felt that God would have us attend Bible school at Rio Grande Bible Institute in Edinburg, Texas, and three years later, we both graduated in Dec. 1954. We returned to Webster City, Iowa, for a few years and Paul did mechanical work for the county. Then Paul was called into the ministry as a pastor, and I spent about twenty years serving my wonderful Lord as a wife, mother, pastor's wife, Bible teacher, youth director, counselor, and a church pastor's secretary until my husband's resignation from being a fulltime pastor. We served in several Baptist churches in South Dakota, Nebraska, and Iowa. In our retirement years, we moved to Wichita for three years. We built our home just a few miles from our daughter, Pauline, and her husband, Ralph Bubeck. During this time, we also enjoyed working with our grandsons, Craig and Brian Bubeck, while they learned some carpentry skills from their grandpa. We also got better acquainted with our granddaughter, Sheryl Bubeck. Then the door opened to our return to the Rio Grande Bible Institure, our Alma Mater. There, Paul served in building and maintenance roles, along with construction. I enjoyed serving as a homemaker, a Bible teacher in a ladies Bible study, and as a secretary and director of the RGBI Christian Service Resource Department. When my husband developed back problems, the Lord opened the door for us to begin another ministry. Paul was invited to be the pastor to winter Texans in three different communities. Paul preached at these different communities on Sundays. He was kept very busy with hospital visitation as well. Once again, I helped with his secretarial work. In the late 90 's we moved back to the house we had built in Wichita, Kansas. We enjoyed living next door to our granddaughter, Sheryl, and her husband, Keith Lathrom, along with their daughters, Charlotte, Kayla, and Andrea Lathrom. (Our great grandson, Joel Lathrom, came later in 2008). Occasionally, we would see our grandson, Craig, and his wife, Kathi, and their children, Benjamin, Aaron, Naomi and Rachel. Our grandson, Brian, and his wife, Phyllis, and their sons, William and R. Wyatt would visit from time to time as well. In 2004 we moved back to Webster City, IA to be close to and a help for our siblings, relatives and friends in the area. Our son, Ron Mathis and his wife, Jean, live a few miles away in Ankeny, Iowa. They have been a great help to us in these late stages of our lives. Ron's son, Ryan Mathis, died in 1996 during a serious illness. Ron has two daughters, Jodell and Kendra. Jodell and her husband, Matthew Anderson, live in Madison Lake, Minnesota with their two daughters, Ashley and Rachel, and their son, Michael. Kendra and her husband, John Jurgenson, live in Johnston, Iowa. My sister Delores Smith, and my brother, Wilbur, and their families live here in Blairsburg and the Webster City area. My twin sister, Vesta Wilson, passed away in 1975 and my older brother, Kenneth Segar, passed away in California in 2002.1 have many nieces and nephews. Paul and I have had a wonderful life together. God has truly blessed us. It has been my desire to "... do all to the glory of God," while being willing to serve in whatever capacity that God directs me, and to be happy and content in His will. Velma Ruby (Segar) Mathis ^Delores Smith died January 5th, 2012.