Rheba Stancliff

Rheba Lee Mathews Stancliff, age 88, of Kevil, KY, died Tuesday morning, November 19, 2024 after an extended illness. Mrs. Stancliff lived in the Kevil, KY area for the last few years of her life, and, prior to that, she lived in Pensacola, FL for 44 years. She was employed as the head of the Accounting Technician program and a teacher in the program at Pensacola Junior College until 1987. She was a member of Bellview church of Christ where she served faithfully as a Bible class teacher and Elder’s wife.

Mrs. Stancliff loved to learn. Her husband referred to her as a professional student. She held two Bachelor’s degrees in Secondary Education and Accounting. She held two Master’s degrees in Guidance Counseling and Management Information Systems. She had an interest in math and science and, on occasion, would read her children’s textbooks just to see how those topics had advanced over the years. She was an avid Bible scholar well into her 80’s.

Mrs. Stancliff loved to teach. She taught math in Junior High School early in her career. She taught study skills at Lubbock Christian College and Accounting at Pensacola Junior College. She taught classes on English and the Christian Home in the Four Seas Bible College in Singapore. She loved to teach the Bible to children, Ladies groups, and to people she met in everyday life such as those she met eating weekly at her favorite Chinese restaurant.

Mrs. Stancliff loved God. She and her husband helped establish a congregation in Gainesville FL. They liked to work with small churches who needed the variety of skills she and her husband could offer. She enjoyed mission work in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, and other places in the Far East. She taught Ladies’ Bible classes until her voice was no longer strong enough to be heard.

Mrs. Stancliff was a godly woman loved by her family and friends and will be sorely missed. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Frederic William Stancliff; parents, Willard and Audrey Mathews; brothers, Arthur Mathews, Van Mathews, and Vernon Mathews; and a grandson, Michael Wilkes. Mrs. Stancliff is survived by her four children, Sandra Puckett (Ronnie), Robert Stancliff (Mumbi), Barbara Denham (Daniel), Cheryl Simoneaux (Bret); eleven grandchildren; eighteen great-grandchildren; two sisters, Melba Jucknath and Donna Freeman (Mark); a brother, Lonnie Mathews (Pam); and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all of the staff of Life Care of LaCenter, both past and present, for their love and care for our mother. They are truly like family.

A visitation will be held at Pensacola Memorial Gardens Funeral Home on Saturday, November 23, 2024, from 10:00 to 12 noon and the funeral will follow at 12 noon.