Ethel Elaine Butler Mathers, 73, of Prospect died at 12:40 p.m. Wednesday after a lingering illness.

Born in Philipsburg, Centre County, April 15, 1932, she was the oldest of four children of Albert Burton Butler and Eunice Hannah McGarvey Butler.

She had attended West Sunbury High School and was a graduate of Butler High School and Nyack (N.Y.) College, which awarded her a bachelor of science degree in Christian education in 1962.

She had worked at the denominational headquarters of the Christian and Missionary Alliance Church in New York, N.Y., and later had been employed with the former North Africa Mission, now Arab World Ministries, in Upper Darby, Delaware County. She had been involved in children's ministries for years.

Mrs. Mathers, a homemaker, was a member of Butler's First Baptist Church and the church's Berean Sunday school class. She also had assisted in the church nursery and was involved with her husband in the church's nursing home services at Sunnyview Home.

She had returned with her husband to Butler County in retirement in September 1995.

Prior to entering college, she had worked in the Butler area at G.C. Murphy Co., the YWCA, Neuf's Butler Paint and Glass, and Callery Chemical Co.

She enjoyed religious and classical music, poetry, planting flowers, and caring for birds.

Surviving are her husband, Arthur Richard Mathers, whom she married July 10, 1965, at the former North Main Alliance Church in Butler. Also surviving are a son, Mark Richard Mathers, of Bellmawr, N.J.; two sisters, Ruth Bernice McHattie and Gladys Irene Rea, both of Butler; a brother, Ray Howard Butler of Tumwater, Wash.; 20 nephews and nieces; and a number of grandnephews and grandnieces.

She was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Rebecca Joy Mathers.

MATHERS - Friends of Ethel Elaine Butler Mathers, who died Wednesday July 27, 2005, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at THOMPSON-MILLER FUNERAL HOME, 124 E. North St. Services will be at 11 a.m. Friday at the First Baptist Church of Butler with the Rev. David Maitland officiating. Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the First Baptist Christian School.Information also is available at www.thompson-miller.com.