Mattie Cooksey Fair

Mattie Cooksey Fair, age 91, of Centerville, Ohio, passed away on Wednesday, April 15th, 2026. The second of four children, Mattie was born in Mooresville, Kentucky to a farming family that prioritized the Lord, hard work, family, music, and education: elements woven throughout her life.

An accomplished pianist, Mattie combined her musical talent with her faith. She began playing for church at age 12, often being excused from school to play for community functions. She accompanied her fiddle-playing daddy, Melwood, and later “courted” her soon-to-be husband, Charlie, with her natural musical ear while he sang and entertained her. Mattie’s lifelong skills and talents remained sharp, always starting the day by playing scales on her beloved Steinway.

After graduating Valedictorian from the Willisburg High School (KY), she became one of the first women from her community to literally “leave the farm” and pursue a college education. After graduating from University of Kentucky, Mattie began a teaching career spanning over five decades; beginning in 1957 in San Diego, CA, 1961 in Louisville, KY, and from 1963-2000 in Kettering, OH at Kettering City Schools. A child of the Great Depression, Mattie put emphasis on the economics component of the home economics she taught, encouraging quality not quantity. Later, as an English and language arts teacher, students in her classes learned literature, poetry and writing. She set an example for her students, always writing professionally with them and reciting poems to wit that they were expected to learn.

Mattie’s work in education extended beyond the classroom. Between 1988-1993, she served as membership chair of the Kettering Education Association (KEA), and in 1993 the KEA delegate to the National Educator’s Association Convention. Mattie’s hard work and dedication was acknowledged through the many accolades she received. In both 1990 and 1999, she earned the Kettering Outstanding Teacher Award; in 1992, the Power of the Pen Interscholastic Tournament Teacher Award; in 1993 the Dayton Daily News/Cox Media Excellence in Teaching Award; in 2000, the Kettering Education Association Outstanding Service Award; in 2001, the University of Kentucky Education Alumnae Award for Excellence; and in 2005, the University of Kentucky Lifetime Achievement Award. Between 2000 until 2005, Mattie served as a student teacher mentor at Antioch University in Yellow Springs, OH. Mattie was inducted into the Chester A. Roush Education Hall of Fame in 2023.

In 1963, Mattie married Charles Aaron Fair of Liberty, KY, and shortly thereafter moved to Dayton, OH. Alongside her vocation and ahead of her time as a working-mother, Mattie’s great happiness was the births of her daughters, Molly, Laura, and Jenny. She modeled hard work during the school year in Ohio. In their Kentucky farm summers, Mattie taught the value of cultivating land, canning vegetables for the winter, and preserving relationships with extended family and the community; maxims she passed on to her three grandchildren, Sunny, Isabel, and Charlie.

In retirement, Mattie’s vocational talents became an avocation through community involvement. She served on the Casey County Alumni Association scholarship committee, Centerville Community Church Americana Festival children’s booth chair, and as Oak Creek South Garden Club vice president. She was a member of the Kettering Noon Optimist’s Club, the South Dayton Home Economics Club, Delta Kappa Gamma, and Centerville Community Church.

Nothing pleased Mattie more than a playful chat on the front porch. Her father was known to say, “When Mattie’s around everyone is happy.” Always gracious, she enjoyed hosting family events, cooking, traveling, reading, writing, and spending time in her beloved Kentucky. She made time for people, thanking God for every day, always celebrating life with gratitude, perpetually capable of making each person she met feel as if they were the most important person in the room.

Mattie is preceded in death by her husband, Charles Aaron Fair, her brother, Mellwood Cooksey, Jr., and her parents, Melwood Cooksey, Sr. and Reba Elllen (Cheatham) Cooksey. She survives through her daughters, Molly Fair Badrawy (Sinan) of Peterborough, NH, Laura Fair Greeno (Richard) of Centerville, OH, and Jennifer Fair Doll (Todd), also of Centerville, OH; grandchildren Charles (Charlie) Fair Greeno, Sonja (Sunny) Cooksey Badrawy, and Isabel Louise Badrawy; sisters Eloise Layman of Mankato, MN, and Judy Bruntz (Sam) of Owensboro, KY; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and many, many friends.

On Wednesday, April 22nd, 2026, calling hours will be held at Centerville Community Church (10688 Dayton-Lebanon Pike, Centerville, OH 45458) between 10 a.m. and 12 p.m. with Mattie’s Celebration of Living service immediately following at noon. She will be laid to rest at the Fair Family Cemetery in Liberty, KY.

Memorial gifts may be sent to The Charles and Mattie Fair Scholarship Fund at Campbellsville University (from the gifting page, type the name of the scholarship into the provided text field), Camp Calvary Christian Assembly, Kettering Noon Optimists (by mail to: P.O. Box 292984, Kettering, Ohio, 45429), or flowers may be sent to Centerville Community Church.