Memorials › Avis May “Lucky” Grenzer Mathews

Avis May “Lucky” Grenzer Mathews

30 Jun 1924 – 18 Aug 2011

Birth30 Jun 1924
Death18 Aug 2011
Added byJEF on 30 Mar 2021
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/225144697

Bio

Parents: George & Priscilla Albrecht Grenzer Siblings: Nathan Grenzer Vernon Grenzer Oril Grenzer Mabel Grenzer ∼ 1st Husband: Walter H. Samuel ∼ 2nd Husband: Jess W. Mathews Children: Pepper Mathews Robin Mathews Parks Mathews Barry Mathews grandchildren: P.J. Mathews Angela Mathews Morgan Mathews ∼ She was a rancher, stockcar racer, gravel truck driver, an avid horsewoman; breeding, raising, and showing purebred and half Arabian show horses. She loving homemaker, wife, mother of four boys and one "hell of a cook". Those who knew Avis knew she was nothing if not determined, imaginative, independent, and courageous. One of her most used phrases was, "where there's a will, there's a way." When she was 10, she figured out a way to harness up the draft horse teams. She thought the best way to get the hames collars over the heads of those tall draft horses was by standing on a barrel while they were cross tied in the isle way of the barn. To get the rest of the harness over the horses' backs, she incorporated the use of a rope and tackle system attached to an overhead beam. She was head strong. Her grandfather said, "you are still too young to hook up those horses by yourself." She woul tell her family, "you should have seen the look on my grand dad's face when he saw those horses coming out of the barn with a little girl standing behind them holding the reins. He never again said that I couldn't do something." She was a hoot!! Avis aka Lucky drove stock cars during the 1950's at the Hales Corner Speedway west of Milwaukee, WI. She won Midwest Champion Stockcar Driver for 3 years in a row. She drove gravel truck in Milwaukee area for nearly 10 years prior to meeting (1959) then her future husband Jess W. Mathews (Petroleum Engineer,) to drive gravel truck with his company. Featured in The Milwaukee Journal Nov. 6, 1955 as one of the first "women" gravel truck driver's in the industry. In the early 1960's they moved to Estes Park, CO and built their first dream home up in the mountains and formed what was to become known as the "Little Rawhide Arabian Ranch". Avis gained recognition in the Show Horse winners' circle at the national level in the United States and Canada between the 1950's to 1970's. With a great desire to produce a better well balanced domestic bred Arabian horse. The bloodlines she handpicked became some of the greatest foundation breeding stock to date. Producing many U.S. and Canadian National Champions long after her day in the show ring had ended. In countless retelling of memories over the years, one of her usual quotes was "I felt very "Lucky" with all the things I had accomplished early on in my life." She admitted her greatest pride and joy were her children. She was hell on wheels!!!! ∼ She shares a Birthday with my PawPaw . Cassie

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