MATHESON, Del

DEL MATHESON

5/14/1940 – 7/29/2021

Delbert Duane “Del” was born the fourth son to Carl Bernard and Dagny Bakken Matheson at Estherville, Emmet County, Iowa, on 14 May 1940. His parents had purchased the old family farm established by his Norwegian paternal immigrant grandparents in 1900. All four of his grandparents were from Norway, and his two grandmothers had been close friends in Bergen. Something was missing in Del’s little family – a girl. When Del was four, he could finally brag of a little sister, Kathleen. His proud father then claimed that he had four sons, and each one had a sister. Little Del’s parents were strapped to the soil and would be considered poor farmers today, but the family didn’t seem to know that they were economically challenged, as most of their neighbors on the Iowa prairie were in the same circumstances in the 1940’s.

The writing was on the wall by 1950, so his parents weighed their options carefully and sold their “quarter” of land and gave up another rented parcel, quitting full-time farming. By this time, January 1952, Del’s older brothers were in their teens and Del and Kathleen were well into their elementary grades. They packed their things and moved nine miles across two Iowa townships to a very Danish community called Ringsted. The new community fit like a glove with new kids and interests and church activities. It was quite an idyllic little oasis tucked into the rich agricultural farm land of Iowa.

Del took school rather seriously, very much enjoying his teachers and classmates. He even took it to the point of rarely missing school for any reason, in thirteen years missing only one or two days of classes. Attendance was a big deal to him, as was academic achievement. He learned to be actively involved in music-related activities because of the quality programs at the school. This included being a great fan of the school’s athletic programs as well. For the last three years of high school, he also worked at the town’s vintage weekly newspaper, which was a great opportunity for him. A huge part of his youth was involved with raising purebred pigeons of about twenty breeds. This kept him off the streets and taught him responsibility. Del thrived amongst the Danes in Ringsted.

It was soon his job to get ready for college, so he orderly disposed of his hobbies and “graduated” from his splendid responsibilities in May of 1958. He squeezed four years of college into 3-l/4 years at Minnesota State University at Mankato, Minnesota and graduated in December of 1961. He began teaching high school English at 21 years of age in Springfield, Minnesota. After earning his library masters’ degree in five more summers by commuting from the Midwest to Eugene, Oregon each June from 1964 to 1968, he graduated from the University of Oregon in August, 1968 with his Masters of Library Science and took the position he sought at Lane Community College in Eugene.

While at the University of Oregon, Del had met and courted the most wonderful woman he’d ever known, a Canadian woman, Marlene Raisbeck. They were married in Lethbridge, Alberta on 8 August 1970.

She was the daughter of Luke and Urilla Raisbeck, of Lethbridge. Del’s only child, a son, Ryan Luke, was born on 14 May 1974, on his father’s birthday. The greatest achievement of the Mathesons’ lives was raising a responsible son.

Del and Marlene operated a printing business, The Best Little Printhouse in Town, for 22 years, starting in February of 1980. They sold it in 2001 and very much enjoyed being retired for 20 years. Del was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 52 years, and for 48 years was actively involved in The Sons of Norway Lodge, with great friendships and service in both organizations.

Both Del and Marlene were extremely ill with Covid 19 in March of 2021, and Del’s lovely wife Marlene died of Covid complications on 14 March of that year. Del died in Eugene, Oregon of heart failure and perhaps a broken heart with the loss of Marlene.

He is survived by his son Ryan (Ursula) of Portland, one brother Richard (Ruth) of Nora Springs, Iowa, one sister-in-law (also Ruth) of Des Moines, Iowa, one sister Kathleen (Mrs. Arthur Olsen) of Florida, about three dozen nieces and nephews and other great relatives. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, Leonard (Sharon, deceased) and Ralph (Ruth).