Frances Mathews Anderson, 90
Frances Mathews Anderson of Hallock, 90 years old passed away at Kittson Healthcare Center Thursday, April 8, 2021.
Frances Elaine June Mathews was born Nov. 12, 1930, Hallock, Minn., to Frank and Elna (Lander) Mathews. The eldest of six children, Frances was kind, quiet and a shy girl. She moved with her parents and brother, Lloyd, to Arkansas, Missouri and back to Minnesota in search of work during hard times.
At 16 she got a job at Snyder Drug in St. Paul, living with her Aunt and Uncle, Roy and Char Lander. Frances moved back to Hallock at 19, where her family had relocated, getting a job at the Woman’s Shop. Working at the Woman’s Shop led to meeting many other young working women and becoming life long friends.
This group formed a monthly sewing club. They would get together to visit and sew that spanned 65+ years, to where the last couple of meetings took place in the nursing home. In this group of women were Marlys and Leona Anderson, who introduced Frances to their brother, Melvin.
Melvin and Frances were married Nov. 4, 1949. Together they raised five children: Elaine, Becky, Jean, Lee and Roxanne in Thompson Township. They enjoyed life on the farm with many animals that became the kids’ pets. Frances put lots of time into flower gardening despite five kids, horses, dogs and other livestock running through them. Frances was very talented and artistic, enjoying oil painting, crocheting and embroidery.
When the kids got older Frances worked out of the home at Kittson Memorial Hospital in the laundry until retirement. Frances was a member of Thompson Homemakers Club, Sewing Club, the early years of Artists Unlimited, a 4-H mom for many years and Grace Lutheran Church.
Frances and Melvin were married for 49 years. They were devoted to each other, providing a loving atmosphere for their children, which a good example of life and marriage. Melvin died December 1998. After Melvin died, Frances continued to live on the farm in the Two River neighborhood until 2017 when she moved into Hallock and eventually moving into the nursing home.
Frances was a very kind and caring grandmother of 12 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren.
Surviving Frances are: a son, Lee (Karen) Anderson, Bullard, Texas; daughters, Elaine (Gary) Koop, Becky Lyberg, Roxanne (Terry) Ogorek all of Hallock, and Jean (Tom) Wilebski of Mosinee, Wis.; grandchildren, Marcy (JT) Anderson, Travis Koop, Trevor Koop, Garrett (Xan Kofstad) Koop, Jason (Tiffany Reed) Wilebski, Chris (Sarah Bils) Wilebski, Kelly Lundy, Jacob Anderson, Ben Anderson, David (Kylie) Ogorek, Staci (Ben) Boutin, Eric (Emily) Ogorek; great-grandchildren, Kinley, Levi, Brody Anderson, Karlie and Summer Wilebski, Lilly and Dawson Lundy, Aiden, Mason, Brynlie and Liam Ogorek, Brooks Boutin, RayeLee and Jase Ogorek; sister, Aimee (Alan) Dull; brothers, Ken (Boni) Mathews, Lynden (Sharon) Mathews, DuWayne (Janet) Mathews; sisters-in-law, Jo Mathews, Judy Anderson, Janice (Kenneth) Anderson; brothers-in-law, Linden Anderson, Jim (Joan) Anderson and Kermitt Erickson; aunts, Naomi Giffen, Opal Lander; many cousins, nieces and nephews.
Preceded in death by: her husband; parents; brother, Lloyd Mathews; son-in-law, Duane Lyberg; sisters-in-law, Marlys Erickson, Leona (Swede) Larson; brother-in-law, Ron Anderson.
Funeral services are scheduled for Tuesday, June 22, 2021, at 11 a.m. in Grace Lutheran Church. Interment will be in Greenwood Cemetery, Hallock. Pastor Marilyn Grandstand. Special music by Renee Wahl.
Austin Funeral Chapel, Hallock, is in charge of the arrangements. www.austinfuneralchapel.com.
