Shirley Mattheis

Shirley Mae Mattheis, 84, of Atlantic, Iowa, and formerly of Massena, Iowa, passed away Saturday, October 17, 2015, at Cass County Memorial Hospital in Atlantic, Iowa.

She was born February 19, 1931, in Atlantic, Iowa, to Neal and Nina (Christensen) Anderson. Shirley graduated from Corydon High School. On December 31, 1949, she was married to H. Clair Mattheis in College Springs, Iowa. In 1963, Clair and Shirley purchased their own farm near Massena, IA. Shirley lived on the family farm until 2014 at which time she moved into the Heritage House in Atlantic, IA.

Shirley was an excellent cook and baker and was noted for her pies and rolls. While living on the farm, she was a very hardworking housewife who tended a beautiful garden and canned and froze lots of her produce. She sewed many of her children's clothes and was a caring person to others.

She enjoyed spending time with Clair, riding the motorcycle with him, going on short car trips and after the children left home, they thoroughly enjoyed their morning coffee together admiring sunrises and the beauty of God's earth from a hill top view.

She liked oak furniture and had decorated her home with beautiful oak furniture that she had refinished. Shirley loved to listen to the news on KJAN radio.

She enjoyed helping with 4-H, taking road trips to Des Moines and having lunch at Perkins. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, great-grandchildren and family most of all. Shirley taught her children many life skills, plus spiritual values. She loved to keep in touch with her children so many conversations were had in person and via the phone.

She was a member of Pine Grove United Methodist Church in Massena, IA, where she taught Sunday and Bible school. She served in several capacities of leadership in the United Methodist Women's group, sharing her deep Christian faith through lessons and devotionals and faithfully reading her Bible.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Clair; great-granddaughter, Shirley Mae Bakehouse; brother, Norman; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Darleen and Emert Euken; and her in-laws, John and Lulu Mattheis.

Shirley is survived by her daughters, Sandy (Doyle) Kneisel of Griswold, IA, Nina (Larry) Carley of Clarendon Hills, IL; son, Alan Mattheis of Massena, IA; grandchildren, Tina (Jon) Bakehouse of Hastings, IA, Adam (Tammie) Kneisel of Omaha, NE, Jodi Kneisel of New York, NY, Sarah (Eric) Osterman of Morton, IL and Mattheis Carley of Chicago, IL; great-grandchildren, Anderson Bakehouse of Hastings, IA, Ashley and Alex Kneisel of Omaha, NE and Carley and Faith Osterman of Morton, IL; brother-in-law, Phil (Marian) Mattheis of Des Moines, IA; and several nieces, nephews, cousins and other relatives.

Visitation will be from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m., with a funeral service at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 29, 2015, at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa.

Burial will be in the Massena Cemetery, Massena, IA.