Lois Mattson

September 18, 1924 - June 17, 2012

Lois Mattson, age 87, of Marshall, passed away on Sunday, June 17, 2012. Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 22, 2012 at 11:00 am at St. Stephen Lutheran Church in Marshall. Interment will take place in the Marshall Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Thursday from 5 to 8 pm at the Hamilton Funeral Home with a prayer service at 7:00 pm. There also will be visitation on Friday one hour prior to the service at the church. Online condolences may be sent to www.hamiltonfh.com Lois Bonniebel Evelyn Vidlund Mattson, was born on September 18, 1924 in Minneapolis to Gunner and Evelyn (Skarlund) Vidlund. The family moved to rural Winsted and then to Delano in 1931 when Lois entered the first grade. In 1933, the family moved to the Skarlund farm near Watertown, MN where she attended Swede Lake School. Lois graduated from Watertown High School in 1943, where she was the editor of the high school newspaper and valedictorian. Lois entered the Bethesda Lutheran Hospital Nursing Program in St. Paul through the Nurse Cadet Corp and graduated in 1947 as a Register Nurse. On August 16, 1947 she was united in marriage to Merle (Matt) D. Mattson at the Gotaholm Lutheran Church in Watertown. They moved to Minneapolis where they lived for 17 years. Lois worked as an RN at Bethesda Hospital. In 1964, Lois and Matt moved with their young family to Williston, ND where Matt began his career as a court reporter. In 1966, they relocated to Marshall, MN and stayed. Lois volunteered as a nurse for the Red Cross Blood Mobile, and filled in as a school nurse. She was a Camp Fire Girl leader, a member of the Marshall Study Club, Lyon County Extension, and Sarah Circle at St. Stephen's. After Matt's retirement, Lois and Matt enjoyed serving together as court bailiffs. They enjoyed spending winters in Arizona. More than anything, they loved spending time with family and friends. Lois's favorite time of the year was Christmas. Her grandchildren referred to her as "Christmas Grandma" when they were young. It was very important to Lois to create wonderful memories of family time together. Lois and Matt started an ongoing 30 year tradition of gathering the family at a lake cabin for a week of summer fun and family togetherness. Lois is survived by her children: Bruce (Sue) Mattson of Omaha, NE, Barbara Zust (Roger McKnight) of St. Peter, Todd (Kristine) Mattson of Sauk Rapids, MN, 9 grandchildren: Andrew (Tara) Mattson, Matthew Zust, Kelli (Bryson) Barth, Kristin Zust, Seyward (Justin) Ask, Gunner Mattson, Anna Zust, Sibley Mattson and Mackenzie Mattson, 2 great-grandchildren: Chase and Emery Mattson, brother: ElRoy Vidlund, of Watertown, sister: Shirley ( Roger) Tatting of White Bear Lake, 2 sister-in-laws: Marge Vidlund of New Brighton and Marge Bueide of New Milford, CT, and nieces, nephews and other relatives. She is preceded in death by her husband: Merle, her parents, brother: Merlyn Vidlund, sister-in-laws: Dorothy Vidlund and Dorothy Mattson, and brother-in-law: James Bueide.