Published on September 17, 2025 4:47 pm
Last Updated on September 17, 2025 4:47 pm
Teddie (Ted) Gene Matheny, age 89 of Olive Branch, MS by way of Effingham, IL passed away on Sunday, September 14, 2025, 4:22 pm at Shepherd Hospice House from complications of an Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm.
Ted will be prepared by Brantley Funeral Home in Olive Branch, with a small family & friends visitation on Sunday, September 21, 2025, 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm, then transported to Greenup, IL where he will be laid to rest on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, in Greenup Cemetery at 11:00 am. The Barkley Funeral Chapel in Greenup is assisting the family.
Ted was born in Greenup, IL on June 12, 1936, to Ellen Kemper Matheny & John Matheny, Jr. He was raised (1939 + up) by his mother, Ellen & his stepfather Thomas (Tom) Jefferson Callahan, Sr. As a teen, Ted enjoyed hunting, fishing the river & running with his buddies. As Ted became a young man, he ventured close in friendship to Shirley Easton, who would eventually become the LOVE of his LIFE & wife for LIFE. They married and moved to Effingham, IL, where they started their family with the birth of their son, Darren G. Matheny & later came son, Derick S. Matheny. For a number of years, Ted worked for Fedders Corporation. Ted made his workplace choice later with Yellow Freight Trucking & Transportation. After a number of years in Chicago, IL & Effingham, IL, Ted was transferred to Memphis, TN – Yellow Freight. His & Shirley’s move down South proved to be joyful over many years & made their forever home in Olive Branch, MS, where eventually he would retire from Yellow Freight. Ted & Shirley lived out the rest of their days on a peaceful landsite, as we jokingly called “The Hill”. Ted was a man who loved his family dearly & would do anything for them. He loved the time he & Shirley had together as retirees & the time he would get with his sons & grandchildren when they came to visit. He’d ALWAYS have some BBQ chicken on the grill waiting! He loved a good bonfire, along with cooking weenies on that fire. Ted had old & new friends and acquaintances that he enjoyed keeping up with. Whether it be them stopping by or Ted making a trip to the grocery store OFTEN, as part of his daily routine, he’d visit and talk to everyone that worked there, especially the meat butcher & produce Mgr. In Ted’s later years after Shirley’s passing, he still enjoyed cooking & preparing meals & recipes that were passed down from Shirley & his mom. Ted made a profession of faith that he & the Lord were good, he acknowledges him as his savior and he’d be in heaven someday with his wife, parents & those gone before him.
Ted was preceded in death by his wife of 60 yrs, Shirley Matheny, His parents, John Matheny, Jr., Ellen Matheny Callahan, Thomas (Tom) Callahan, his granddaughter Savannah Allen of Effingham, IL.
He leaves his son, Darren G. Matheny (Vicki) of Olive Branch, MS, son, Derick S. Matheny of Olive Branch, MS, Grandchildren, Joshua Matheny of Stewardson, IL, Kara Chamoun (Caleb) of Effingham, IL, Corye Gatlin (Joey), Katie Pass, Great-grandchildren, Kyra Chamoun, Chace Matheny, Roman Chamoun, Cayden Matheny & Cora Matheny, Haley, Breanna, Dalton, Kamryn, Katelynn, Kyndall & Keeley & Great greats Lillie Kate & Janie Mae. He leaves a stepbrother, Tommy Callahan, brother & sister- in- laws (LOVED like siblings) June Neff (Charlie-deceased), Terri Scott & Denny Easton (Rose). He also leaves a host of loved ones, previous daughter-in-law – Twilla Ruholl, nieces & nephews.