Josephine Featherston

Josephine "Jo" Mathews Featherston, of Abilene, passed away Friday, February 4, 2011 at Windcrest Alzheimer's Care Center at the age of 93. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 pm on Monday, February 7, 2011 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Graveside services, with Dr. Jeff Reid officiating, will be at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 at the Rough Creek Cemetery in Novice, Texas. Jo was born August 7, 1917 to early Coleman County pioneers, Will and Bettie Wright Mathews on the Mathews Ranch at Atoka. She graduated from Novice High School and attended McMurry College for two years, majoring in art. On November 18, 1937 she married Baxter (Sonny) Featherston, also a Novice graduate, and a student at Texas A & M. They made their home on the Mathews farm at Goldsboro. Jo taught school and coached girls basketball at Lawn, and Sonny worked for the Texas Co., (now Texaco). In 1948 the family moved to Abilene and Sonny stared Featherston Well Service. Jo entered into retail sales at downtown department stores, Margas, Waddingtons, Minters and Grissoms. During this time she also opened Jo's Porcelain Art Studio where she taught the art of porcelain doll draping and her good friend Gladys Pressley taught China Painting. Following the untimely death of her husband in 1984, she took over the operation of the Well Service Company and also continued the restoration and the running of the Homeplace Ranch in Novice, which the couple had assumed ownership of after the deaths of Sonny's parents. During this time Jo traveled extensively in the United States and Europe. She was actively engaged in ranching well into her eighties, when her son David retired from British Petroleum in Alaska and took over the day to day operations of the ranch. She was a member of art several guilds, The Texas Cattlemen's Association and the Cowbelles. Jo was a tireless volunteer for the Salvation Army and a supporter of many charitable organizations. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, three brothers, Sam, Walter and Carl Mathews, one sister Della West, and her sons-in-law, Mike Miller and Terry J. Northcutt. Jo is survived by two daughters, Sara Goldsmith and husband Warren, and Carolyn Northcutt, both of Abilene; her son, David Featherston and wife Pat, of the Homeplace Ranch in Novice; six grandchildren, Cindy Hood and husband Howard of Spring, Randall Miller of Abilene, Teri Ann Roberson and husband Kenneth of Tuscola, Clay Northcutt of Abilene, D'Shay McLean of Boise, Idaho and Shawn Gaskins of Cincinnati, Ohio; eleven great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren. The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks and appreciation to the administration and staff at Windcrest Alzheimer's Care Center and Hendrick Hospice for their loving and compassionate care of their mother. Remembrances can be made to the Ben Richey Boys Ranch, P.O. Box 6839, Abilene, TX 79608; the West Texas Rehab Center, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, TX 79605; or to Rescue the Animals, 4620 N. 1st St., Abilene, TX 79603. "I go to prepare a place for you that where I am there you may be also." John 14:3.