Barbra had a very kind Spirit and was a pleasure to be around. She was beautiful both inside and out. My prayers are with her family in that they find peace and comfort at such a great loss. Marlene Langseth Eakman
IN MEMORY OF BARBARA JEAN MATTSON June 1942 – July 1999
SUBMITTED BY: Marilyn Forseth Nervig
Barbara Mattson and Larry Mattson were both my first cousins. Their fathers, Melvin and Walter, were brothers of my mother, Lillie Mattson Forseth. We all had many good times growing up together in Williston and on the family farms near Springbrook.
Since our parents were good friends and farming and fishing partners, Barbara and I basically grew up together hanging out whenever our parents were together, which was often! I always loved staying overnight at her house because she lived out beyond Keenan’s Drive-In by Stenehjems and Rodes, so that meant she got to have hot lunch at Central School every day. We lived on First Avenue West which was too close to school to be allowed hot lunch, so the only time I could enjoy the Wonderful Central School sloppy joes was when I was staying with Barbara.
We used to go to Springbrook Dam for fishing and swimming in the muddy water, and I always wished that I had a beautiful life jacket like Barbara had. My parents’ answer to my pleas was “If you wear a life jacket, you will never learn how to swim!” Well, we both learned how to swim, and I just felt deprived! We also went on fishing trips to Fort Qu’Appelle in Saskatchewan, and since neither Barbara nor I liked to fish, we would ride very tame slow horses at a little stable nearby.
The summer we turned 16, Barbara and I both got jobs as carhops at Keenan’s Drive-In. That was the same summer that our parents took a month long car trip up the Al-Can Highway to Alaska, camping and fishing along the way, and even though they coaxed us to come along, we stood fast in our loyalty to our jobs (and friends and social life in Williston, I might add) and stayed home. In retrospect I wish we would have gone with them, because I never did make it to Alaska. I don’t know if Barbara ever did.
One last fun memory about Barbara’s Grandma and Grandpa Casey who owned the little Bar & Grill at the 9 mile corner and lived upstairs. Sometimes we would visit them and stay overnight and listen to the raucous laughter and fun coming from downstairs, and then sneak down the stairs to see what was going on, until her Grandma would chase us back upstairs. Never did see anything that required police!
After we graduated from WHS, Barbara went to UND in Grand Forks and I went to St. Olaf College in Minnesota, so we didn’t see each other very often. I contacted her daughter Chantelle who sent me information about Barbara’s post college life to include in my memories of Barbara.
Barbara graduated from UND in 1965 with a BS in Business Administration.
Upon graduation she moved to California and worked for various companies including Elpac Inc., Lear Sigler Telecommunications, Superior TeleTec Network Technology Group, and Pairgain Technologies.She held various positions managing their inside and outside sales departments coordinating and implementing all inside sales and customer service activities.
Barbara gave birth to a daughter, Chantelle, in 1973.
Her parents, Melvin and Margaret Mattson of Williston ND moved to California in 1977, and they lived together in Buena Park.
She enjoyed traveling to the river, camping trips, vacationing, cooking and crocheting.The hobby she enjoyed most was the small business she owned selling her handmade crafts.She returned to school in 1988 and earned a Cosmetology certification but never pursued it further.
Her mother, Margaret, passed in December 1996, and her father, Melvin, passed in June 1997.
Barbara was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer in September 1998 and passed July 17, 1999.She was 57 years old.She never married.
Barbara’s daughter Chantelle lives in California with her husband Bryant and two children,
Bryant Jr – 10 and Casey – 8 (a girl named after Chantelle’s grandmother, Margaret Casey).
We enjoyed visiting Barbara and Family in Buena Park a few times in the late 70s and early 80s and had great fun reminiscing about growing up in Williston and WHS! I know she would have loved to join us at our 55th Reunion this year.
Wow, I never knew the connection between your family and Barbara's! I loved her parents, they were both so kind and friendly to me! Barbara had he most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Never a mean moment and quite shy I thought. She is at peace and God has blessed her!
Marlene Langseth (Eakman-Herbst)
Barbra had a very kind Spirit and was a pleasure to be around. She was beautiful both inside and out. My prayers are with her family in that they find peace and comfort at such a great loss. Marlene Langseth Eakman
Jerry Iverson
IN MEMORY OF BARBARA JEAN MATTSON June 1942 – July 1999
SUBMITTED BY: Marilyn Forseth Nervig
Barbara Mattson and Larry Mattson were both my first cousins. Their fathers, Melvin and Walter, were brothers of my mother, Lillie Mattson Forseth. We all had many good times growing up together in Williston and on the family farms near Springbrook.
Since our parents were good friends and farming and fishing partners, Barbara and I basically grew up together hanging out whenever our parents were together, which was often! I always loved staying overnight at her house because she lived out beyond Keenan’s Drive-In by Stenehjems and Rodes, so that meant she got to have hot lunch at Central School every day. We lived on First Avenue West which was too close to school to be allowed hot lunch, so the only time I could enjoy the Wonderful Central School sloppy joes was when I was staying with Barbara.
We used to go to Springbrook Dam for fishing and swimming in the muddy water, and I always wished that I had a beautiful life jacket like Barbara had. My parents’ answer to my pleas was “If you wear a life jacket, you will never learn how to swim!” Well, we both learned how to swim, and I just felt deprived! We also went on fishing trips to Fort Qu’Appelle in Saskatchewan, and since neither Barbara nor I liked to fish, we would ride very tame slow horses at a little stable nearby.
The summer we turned 16, Barbara and I both got jobs as carhops at Keenan’s Drive-In. That was the same summer that our parents took a month long car trip up the Al-Can Highway to Alaska, camping and fishing along the way, and even though they coaxed us to come along, we stood fast in our loyalty to our jobs (and friends and social life in Williston, I might add) and stayed home. In retrospect I wish we would have gone with them, because I never did make it to Alaska. I don’t know if Barbara ever did.
One last fun memory about Barbara’s Grandma and Grandpa Casey who owned the little Bar & Grill at the 9 mile corner and lived upstairs. Sometimes we would visit them and stay overnight and listen to the raucous laughter and fun coming from downstairs, and then sneak down the stairs to see what was going on, until her Grandma would chase us back upstairs. Never did see anything that required police!
After we graduated from WHS, Barbara went to UND in Grand Forks and I went to St. Olaf College in Minnesota, so we didn’t see each other very often. I contacted her daughter Chantelle who sent me information about Barbara’s post college life to include in my memories of Barbara.
Barbara graduated from UND in 1965 with a BS in Business Administration.
Upon graduation she moved to California and worked for various companies including Elpac Inc., Lear Sigler Telecommunications, Superior TeleTec Network Technology Group, and Pairgain Technologies.She held various positions managing their inside and outside sales departments coordinating and implementing all inside sales and customer service activities.
Barbara gave birth to a daughter, Chantelle, in 1973.
Her parents, Melvin and Margaret Mattson of Williston ND moved to California in 1977, and they lived together in Buena Park.
She enjoyed traveling to the river, camping trips, vacationing, cooking and crocheting.The hobby she enjoyed most was the small business she owned selling her handmade crafts.She returned to school in 1988 and earned a Cosmetology certification but never pursued it further.
Her mother, Margaret, passed in December 1996, and her father, Melvin, passed in June 1997.
Barbara was diagnosed with advanced cervical cancer in September 1998 and passed July 17, 1999.She was 57 years old.She never married.
Barbara’s daughter Chantelle lives in California with her husband Bryant and two children,
Bryant Jr – 10 and Casey – 8 (a girl named after Chantelle’s grandmother, Margaret Casey).
We enjoyed visiting Barbara and Family in Buena Park a few times in the late 70s and early 80s and had great fun reminiscing about growing up in Williston and WHS! I know she would have loved to join us at our 55th Reunion this year.
MAY GOD BLESS THE MEMORY OF BARBARA JEAN MATTSON!
Rita Johnson (Farley)
Wow, I never knew the connection between your family and Barbara's! I loved her parents, they were both so kind and friendly to me! Barbara had he most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. Never a mean moment and quite shy I thought. She is at peace and God has blessed her!