Frankie Mae Mattox

Frankie Mae Cleveland Mattox was born on April 19, 1951, to the late Frank Bronner and the late Mary Emma Bronner in Gainesville, Georgia. She lived her life boldly and unapologetically. Frankie was a proud member of the last graduating class of E.E. Butler High School in 1969. While in school, she played basketball, ran track, was a pom-pom girl, participated in the Student Library Association of Georgia, and was part of the first African American Debutantes in Hall County. She later attended Lanier Technical College. Frankie worked at and retired from Wrigley's. She was also a member of the Gainesville Hall County Black History Society and a faithful member of Bethel AME Church. She was kind, loving, and welcoming to all; she never met a stranger. She loved to eat, and as her closest friends would say, she always "rewrote the menu" when ordering her food. She was most proud of her children, Daniel and Traci. She made countless efforts to support her loved ones, such as learning sign language to communicate with her grandson and attending the significant events of her children and grandchildren. There was never a doubt that she loved and cherished her family and friends. On September 9, 2025, at 5:39 a.m., Frankie (age 74) peacefully took her last earthly breath. She was preceded in death by her youngest sister, Glenda Summerour (age 40); her mother, Mary Emma Bronner (age 76); and her father, Frank Bronner. She leaves to cherish her memory, her life partner, Ronald Pierce; her children, Daniel (Lisa) Cleveland, Dr. Traci (Christopher) Sparrow, and her bonus son, Tariq Pierce; her grandchildren, Khalyle Cleveland, Taden Cleveland, Madison Sparrow, and Ashlyn Cleveland; and her bonus grandchildren, Taniya, Jiriq, Ihsan, Kahmih, Sommer, Ian, Ahmad, and Harlym Pierce. She is also survived by her siblings, Dorothy (Paul) Edmond and Teresa Bronner; her half-siblings, Michael Bronner, Brenda (Derrick) Terry, Pat (Melvin) Brown, and Vernal; her cousin Sharon (Blake) Samuels; her closest friends, Martha Mays, Berlinda Lipscomb, and Beverly Hamin; her nephews, Derek and Craig Summerour; and her extended family, Carmen, Mario, Leslie, and Carla, along with a host of cousins, extended relatives, and dear friends who loved her deeply. Frankie was a doer. She never ceased to encourage her children to achieve their goals. She never allowed her emotions, or any societal limitations or restrictions, to stop her from doing what she wanted. If she wanted it, she made it happen, whether it was ordering food to suit her taste, coloring her hair while on vacation, or thriving as an African American woman during segregation. She enjoyed life to the fullest, living it with a smile and laughter. She will be missed and forever loved! "Well done, good and faithful servant." – Matthew 25:21