Biography:

Susan Ann “Sue” Scully passed away on October 10, 2026, after a long battle with dementia and dementia-related illnesses. She was 85 years old. She is survived by her four children, Michael Dawson Matthews (Jill), James Patrick “Pat” Matthews (Tracee), Martha Ann Matthews Kirspel, and William Scully “Bill” Matthews (Ann); her stepdaughter, Sherry Olshevski Kealy; her brother, James “Jim” Scully (Tere) of Los Alamos, New Mexico; eight grandchildren, Ryan Matthews, Dawson Matthews, Griffyn Gentry, James Kirspel, Jessy Semore, Thomas Matthews, Michael Matthews, and Holly Matthews; and four great-grandchildren, Decker Semore, Rose Semore, Kaycie Matthews, and Colter Matthews. She was married to Charles Matthews, of Hot Springs, Arkansas, from 1961 to 1981, and then to George “Ski” Olshevski, from 1984 to 2004. She was preceded in death by her parents, James Patrick Scully and Dorothy “Dot” Weaver Scully; her sister, Dorothy “Joy” Ash, in 2020; her grandson, Sean Michael Matthews, in 1997; and her former husbands, Charles Matthews and George Olshevski.

Sue was born on December 1, 1940, in Quakertown, Pennsylvania, to James Patrick Scully, a stockbroker, and Dorothy “Dot” Scully, a secretary and homemaker. She grew up on a beautiful family farm called Silvershoe, and throughout her life she grew the peonies that came from her childhood home. Life on the Scully farm always meant work: sheep to feed, shear, and medicate, a large vegetable garden to tend, and even a nascent pre-Internet mail-order business that kept every family member occupied. A large pond on the farm hosted numerous swim parties in the summertime and ice-skating parties in the winter. She was the youngest of three children. Jim, the oldest, lives in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Joy, the middle child, passed away in 2020.

Sue spent her childhood in Quakertown and had nothing but fond memories of it. A devout Catholic her entire life, she attended St. Isidore Catholic Church in Quakertown. She played field hockey, was a cheerleader at Quakertown High School, and graduated at the top of her class. She learned to play piano and lived her life as a talented and accomplished pianist. She loved music and the way it added beauty and joy to her life and to the lives of those around her.

In 1958, Sue moved to Washington, DC, to attend Immaculata Junior College, where she earned an associate degree in liberal arts and business. While there, she met Charles Matthews, who was attending Georgetown University, and the two were married in Quakertown in 1961. Their son Mike was born in Arlington, Virginia, in 1962. They moved from Washington to Fayetteville, Arkansas, where Pat was born, and then to New York City, where Martha was born. The family moved back to Arkansas in 1965, settling in North Little Rock, where Bill was born. By 1966 Sue was taking care of four children in the Lakewood section of North Little Rock. Those who witnessed the sometimes raucous behavior of the children knew that Sue deserved a medal for patience and honor, or at least a glass of wine. She was a member of the Junior League of North Little Rock, and she played organ for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in North Little Rock.

When the children were a little older, Sue decided to finish her college degree. She enrolled at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) and in 1977 earned a Bachelor of Music in Piano, graduating summa cum laude with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. Once again, she graduated at the top of her class. All her children remember how hard she worked as a student, and how proud she was of her degree.

After her divorce from Charles Matthews, she moved to Tucson, Arizona, and eventually married George “Ski” Olshevski, whom she had known from her Quakertown days. While in Tucson, she worked for Pima Community College helping students with job placement, résumés, and interviewing skills, and she truly loved her colleagues there.

After her divorce from Ski Olshevski in 2004, Sue moved back to Little Rock, where she spent the last twenty-two years of her life. She loved her Little Rock days, spending them amid her children, her grandchildren, longtime friends, and the congregations of the Cathedral of St. Andrew and Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church. She was a member of the Aesthetic Club of Little Rock. All the while, she continued her musical study of the works of Chopin, Mozart, and Schumann, and she always loved working in her spectacular garden. She shared her gift generously, volunteering as a pianist at the UAMS Cancer Institute, where she played weekly for patients and their families, and at Presbyterian Village, where she entertained residents with everything from light classical music to Broadway show tunes.

Sue cherished her time with her brother and sister. She loved her frequent phone calls and occasional visits with her brother, Jim, and looked forward to their meaningful and laughter-filled conversations. She deeply appreciated her relationship with her sister, Joy, especially in the years when they both lived in Little Rock. She had so many lifelong friendships, from Quakertown, Little Rock, and Tucson, and she spoke often about how much they enriched her life.
In 2018, Sue began showing signs of dementia-related illness. She spent her last years in the very loving House of Three, where she lived with dignity, love, and care.

All of Sue’s children, Mike, Pat, Martha, and Bill, know that they hit the mom jackpot by having Sue Scully as their mother. They know they were wholeheartedly loved by her. They all fondly remember her corny sense of humor and her love of laughter. She taught them how to feel wonder at the beauty of the world, how to be joyful, how to be silly, how to truly feel the pain of others, how to cook, and how to love unconditionally. Her children all remember being incredibly proud when she performed at her senior recital and when she earned her degree. And all her children know that she was the best student in the family. She was a loving, doting, and spectacular grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved each of her grandchildren so much, and she traveled around the country to spend time with them. All her grandchildren would agree that their lives are better because of their loving and fun times with Gramma Sue.

The family is deeply grateful to the caregivers at House of Three and Hospice Home Care for the compassion and care they gave Sue in her final years.

Services will be held Tuesday, October 20, at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Catholic Church, with the Rosary at 10:00 a.m. and the Funeral Mass at 10:30 a.m. Arrangements are by Ruebel Funeral Home, RuebelFuneralHome.com

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.