December 13, 1923 - February 3, 2022
Memorial graveside service will be May 21, 2022, at 1 p.m. in the Rush Lake Cemetery, Curlew, officiated by Rev. Curtis DeFord, Grace Baptist Church, Emmetsburg. Inurnment will be in Rush Lake Cemetery, Curlew.
Dorothy (Hildreth) Matthiesen, age 98, of Indianola, died peacefully Feb. 3, 2022, at The Village retirement community of Indianola.
Dorothy was born Dec 13, 1923, in Dexter, Minn. to George D. and Esther (Lehman) Hildreth. She grew up in the Des Moines area, farmed near Curlew, and lived for 54 years in Fenton before moving to The Village in Indianola in 2002.
She was united in marriage to Homer Matthiesen on Aug 27, 1944, at Gatchel Methodist Church in Des Moines. Together they made a home in Curlew and Fenton raising a family, bringing into the world David Homer, Donald Otto and Emily Esther. She enjoyed a life of faith in God and eternal life through Jesus Christ. As a family they participated in the fellowship of the First Baptist Church in Curlew.
Dorothy attended both Lincoln and North High Schools in Des Moines. During high school, she ran track, played tennis and swam. She credited her running strength and speed to having to briskly deliver heavy bottles of milk early in the morning for the family dairy.
During WWII she worked at the Ankeny Ordnance Plant, earned a private pilot license and worked at Solar Aircraft in Des Moines where she met Homer. As a homemaker she cultivated a big garden, canning and freezing the bounty. She was active with Homer in his welding shop, the DeKalb Seed Corn business and Homer’s Hardware store. She joined and participated in the Fenton Women’s Club for many years. Dorothy and Homer enjoyed travel and wintered for many years among family and friends in Apache Junction, Ariz. In 1994, Dorothy travelled to the Congo, Africa, to visit her daughter and family. She was known for making personalized greeting cards on the computer, and doing various stamping and craft projects. She met and enjoyed many people while at The Village; developing good friendships. She enjoyed many activities with the bible study group being a favorite.
She was preceded in death by her husband Homer, her daughter Emily Matthiesen Hartfiel Ford, her son, David Matthiesen, her parents George and Esther Hildreth, her siblings and their spouses: Mary Kathryn Bean, Don and Virginia Hildreth, Jack and Dorothy Hildreth and Bill and Irene Hildreth, her mother-in-law, Leah Matthiesen, Homer’s siblings and their spouses: Harry and Mary Matthiesen, Fern and Dan Stoltz, John Larson, Gladys and Avery Johnson, Catherine and Eddie Seagren and Miriam and Clarence Triggs.
Left to cherish her memory are her son and daughter-in-law, Donald and Valerie Matthiesen; her grandchildren, Stacy Matthiesen Walker (Chris), Jason Matthiesen, Joel Matthiesen (Jill Byczek), Kristi Hartfiel Justin (James), and Jonathan Hartfiel; sister-in-law Grace Larson, five great-grandchildren and many wonderful nieces, nephews and friends.
Memorials can be made to The Village (Indianola) Good Shepherd Endowment Fund at WesleyLife, 5508 NW 88th St. in Johnston, IA 50131 or www.wesleylife.org in memory of Dorothy Matthiesen. Arrangements by Martin-Mattice Funeral Home, martinmatticefuneralhome.com