Lora Mathison

Lora Mathison, age 91, of Horace, ND passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 23, 2009 at Home Sweet Home Elder Care and under hospice care. Lora Thompson was born May 23, 1918, in Werner, ND, to Walter and Agnes (Fixen) Thompson. She graduated from Landa, ND, high school and Aaker's Business College of Grand Forks, ND. She was employed as a legal secretary for Leonard Eid in Walhalla, ND, and later at the JC Penney store of Walhalla. She married H. Lloyd Mathison of Walhalla, in Landa, on June 25, 1939. The couple lived in Grafton, ND, and then Walhalla, where they farmed for many years. Lora attended Josef's School of Hair Design of Fargo in 1959-60, and was employed in her sister Mildred's beauty shop. When Mildred moved to Fargo, Lora had her own beauty shop until she retired in the late 70's. After Lloyd's death, she lived in Warren, MN; Grafton, ND; and Fargo, ND. Lora was the organist at Walhalla Lutheran for many years, belonged to the ALCW, taught Sunday school and belonged to the Walhalla Brush Bunch where she shared her love for painting with other artists. She was an excellent cook and she and Lloyd liked to entertain, especially at Christmas. She enjoyed being a mother but she was totally thrilled to be a grandmother and great grandmother! Left to mourn her passing are her daughter, Rita (Gerald) Dalzell of Park Rapids, MN; and son, Wayne (Judy) Mathison of Moorhead, MN; five grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren; her sister, Ruth Moe, age 99, of Chetek, WI; brother-in-law, Allan (Deloris) Mathison of Walhalla, ND; and sister-in-law, Alma Mathison of Walhalla, ND; and several nieces and nephews. Preceding her in death were her husband in 1982; her parents; sister, Ovila Thompson; twins, Jane and Gordon Thompson (all three in infancy); sister, Mildred Larson; and brothers, Kermit and Wallace Thompson; great-grandson, Noah Mathison; her father and mother-in-law; and several brother and sisters-in-law. A memorial service will be held on Friday, June 26, 2009 at 11 a..m. at Pontoppidan Lutheran Church, Fargo, ND. Memorials are suggested to Hospice of the Red River Valley.