Service Information
Phyllis A. Matthews, age 95, of Dryden, Michigan, formerly of Cosmos, Minnesota, passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, in Dryden.
Funeral Service will be held Monday, December 12, 2022, at 11:00 A.M. at Peace Lutheran Church in Cosmos Minnesota, with interment in Glen Haven Memorial Gardens in Crystal, Minnesota.
Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the church.
Obituary
Phyllis Adeline Matthews was born on February 19, 1927, in Tenney, Minnesota. She was the daughter of Edward and Esther (Manthie) Larsen. Phyllis was baptized as a youth on Easter Sunday, March 24, 1940, at Calvary Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and was later confirmed into Lutheran as an adult in 1945, at Mount Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. She received her education at Central Public School in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
On June 15, 1946, Phyllis was united in marriage to Roland Matthews at First Evangelical Lutheran Church in Glencoe, Minnesota. This marriage was blessed with two daughters, Joan and Cynthia. Phyllis and Roland resided in Crystal, Minnesota, and later moved to Cosmos, Minnesota with her husband and daughter, Joan in 1957, where they purchased the Cosmos Farmers Elevator. They shared 52 years of marriage before the passing of Roland in 1998.
Phyllis was employed as a secretary and treasurer for a variety of businesses and volunteer organizations. She retired in 2018. Phyllis was a member of Peace Lutheran Church in Cosmos. She was the Past President of the Cosmos American Legion Auxiliary and Past President of the Hutchinson Concert Association. Phyllis was also a member of the Red Hats (Scarlet Feather) Society and the Meeker County Aging Board. While on the Meeker County Aging Board, she planted the Hospice Tree in Cosmos.
Phyllis enjoyed spending time at the cabin on Big Kandiyohi Lake, traveling, years of bowling, needlepoint, sewing, talking on the phone, and cheering on the Minnesota Vikings. She especially enjoyed time with her family, grandchildren and friends.
Phyllis passed away on Tuesday, November 29, 2022, in Dryden Township, Michigan, at the age of 95 years.
Blessed be her memory.
Phyllis is survived by her:
Daughter, Joan Smith and her husband, Tom of Dryden Township, MI;
Grandchildren, Greta Weidenhamer and her husband, Michael of Murfreesboro, TN,
Glenda Jones and her husband, Matthew of Plymouth, MI,
Grant Smith and his wife, Lauren of Rochester Hills, MI;
Great-grandchildren, Justin Weidenhamer, Cody Weidenhamer, Brianna Weidenhamer, Michel T. Weidenhamer, Aidan Schieber, Gavin Smith, Grady Smith, Gage Smith, Londyn Smith, Nolan Jones, Caroline Jones;
Niece, Evonne Kirchenwitz and her husband, Melvin of Tonka Bay, MN;
Nephew, Jerry Johnson and his wife, Ann of Brooklyn Center, MN;
Many relatives and friends.
Phyllis is preceded in death by her Parents, Edward and Esther Larsen; Husband, Roland Matthews; Daughter, Cynthia Jane Matthews; Sister, Betty Jane Meland and her husband, Keith.
Tracy Ackman-Shaw says
What a lovely woman that had a well lived life! I so enjoyed her humor & friendly conversation during our visits. So many fond memories out at her cabin. She worked hard well into her retirement years. She leaves behind a wonderful family that truly loved her. She will be missed by me & many others!
Shirley Kremer says
Joni and family,
You have my deepest sympathy. The Lord bless you and your family in the days ahead. I’m sure Phyllis was very appreciative that you took good care of her in your home. She is happy to be in her heavenly home with no more pain. She had a full life & we all enjoyed being with her the last time we were all out for lunch.
Loving thoughts as you mourn the loss of your mother, that’s always a tough one.
Shirley
Shirley (Baumann) Paulson says
Joan,
My sympathies on your mom’s passing. God give you comfort and peace at this sad time. Remember the good times.
You may not remember me, but we worked at Hutch p.o. together. Take care
Valerie J. Thomas says
So sorry to hear about the passing of Phyllis. The family has my deepest sympathy. Aside from league bowling, I didn’t know Phyllis personally. But I had the opportunity of getting to know her a little better through the Cosmos Light of Love organization. When the decorating of the tree got to be too much for her I was happy to step in & help. I knew I had big shoes to fill after she handed the job responsibilities over to me and I was grateful for the opportunity. Although I only knew her a short time she left a lasting impression on me. Phyllis was a very open & honest person with a great sense of humor. What I liked most about her was with an err of grace, she always spoke her mind & stood up for what she believed in. She was one of the few people in town who took notice of all the hard work & extra effort that Dale put into his job as City Maintenance Supervisor. And whenever we would run into her downtown or at the Legion she always made a point of it to come over & talk to us & to let Dale know what a great job he was doing. He always appreciated that & he never forgot it. She gave credit where credit was due. The world was a better place with her in it. She will be missed, but leaves behind a great legacy that you can be proud of. I know I am grateful to have known her.