Norman Mathews, 90, of Glencoe
Norman Mathews, 90, of Glencoe, died Wednesday, July 12, 2017, at Glencoe Regional Health Services Long Term Care.
The funeral service was held Monday, July 17, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe with the Rev. Dan Welch officiating.
Casket bearers were Duane Mathews, Kevin Mathews, Rodney Mathews, Tim Mathews, Larry Schmidt and Charles Mathews. Interment was in the First Lutheran Cemetery in Glencoe.
Norman Leonard Mathews was born Aug. 14, 1926, in Helen Township, McLeod County, the son of Reinhold and Pauline (Tonn) Mathews. He was baptized Sept. 12, 1926, at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe by the Rev. E. Kolbe. His sponsors were Ida Mathews and Peter Wolter. On March 17, 1940, he was confirmed in his faith at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe with the Rev. A. Streufert as the officiant. His confirmation verse was Psalm 73:23-24, “Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory.” He attended First Lutheran School.
Mr. Mathews was united in marriage with Veldora Birkholz on Nov. 4, 1951, at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Watertown by the Rev. J. Spomer. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Donald, Virgil, Janice and Daniel.
Mr. Mathews worked construction for a company in the Twin Cities before starting his own business in the early 1960s in concrete construction and selling and servicing of barn equipment. He was a farmer his whole life and had worked the land until he moved off the farm and became a resident of Glencoe Regional Health Services Long Term Care.
He enjoyed attending auctions and threshing shows. He had a great interest in Minneapolis Moline tractors and helping his son prepare for and compete in tractor pulls. He always looked foward to Kawasaki Mule rides around the farm with grandchildren Seth, Madi, Morgan and Cole.
He is survived by his loving family: children and their spouses, Donald and Julie Mathews of Willmar, Virgil and Lynn Mathews of Glencoe, Janice Mathews of Glencoe and Daniel and Cindy Mathews of Glencoe; grandchildren and their families, Jon and Sarah Mathews and children Elisabeth, Sonja and Ingrid of Ames, Iowa, Michael and Erica Mathews and children McKenna, Brooklyn, Aria and Asher of Willmar, Andrew and Darcy Mathews and children Brayden, Trevan, Kenley and Kysen of Lake Crystal, Shannon and Ryan Alsleben and children Jayden and Joslyn of Lester Prairie, Shauna and Matt Gruber and children Abagail, Alyssa, Autumn and Axel of Glencoe, Shandon and Brittany Mathews and children Broc, Keaton and Lia of Lester Prairie, and Cole Mathews, Morgan Mathews, Madison Mathews and Seth Mathews, all of Glencoe; sisters and brothers-in-law, Ruth Mathews of Glencoe, Anna Mathews of Glencoe, Leonard and Sue Birkholz of Jordan, Glendora Ehrke of Glencoe and Arsylvia and Jon Radtke of Hutchinson; other relatives and friends.
He was preceded in death by his wife Veldora in 2003; parents, Reinhold and Pauline Mathews; brothers and sisters-in-law, Earl Mathews, Orville and Gloria Mathews, Marvin and Selma Mathews, Eldor and Myrtle Mathews, Ray and Willardine Mathews, Hillard and Elizabeth Mathews and Ervin Mathews; sisters and brothers-in-law, Alice and Lawrence Debner and Lorna and Carl Ehrke; and sister-in-law and brothers-in-law, Leola and Roylan Schmidt, Howard Victorian and Edmund Ehrke.
Arrangements were with the Johnson Funeral Home in Waconia, www.johnsonfh.com.
