Lois Mathews

Lois Ethel Beattie Mathews was born on February 25, 1926 in Canby, MN to her parents, Jessie and Thomas Beattie. Lois passed away on September 25, 2023 at Risen Son Christian Village in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Lois was the third child born in the family and was affectionately called "the little princess." The great depression began three years later, at which time her parents lost their farm and all their money. Her father became a farm laborer, and they frequently moved to various farms around the Canby area. Times were hard and they lived very frugally. Lois' parents regularly attended Antelope Hills Church of Christ. Lois attended a country school near Canby and later high school while boarding with a wonderful lady named Mamie Bliss. Ms. Bliss had a powerful and godly influence on Lois' life.

Lois accepted the Lord as her Savior and was baptized on November 17, 1946. Lois graduated from Canby High School in 1944. In the fall of 1944, she started "normal training," which was a training program for teaching in rural schools. She began teaching at a rural school near Gary, SD in 1945. She would room with various student families. In the summers between 1946 to 1949, Lois took summer classes at Mankato State Teachers College to become a certified teacher. She received a two-year teaching degree in the winter of 1950 before teaching kindergarten in Canby, MN. In April 1950, her father passed away, so she lived with her mom in a house across from the Canby school for several years. From 1951 to 1957, she taught mostly third grade in Canby. She taught a total of twelve years in her career.

On December 26, 1955, she married John Ross Mathews. She taught school and he drove the school bus and farmed. Soon thereafter, they began farming on the "Miller farm" and milked dairy cattle at John's parents' nearby. Lois continued teaching until the spring of 1957. In March of 1960, twin girls, Debra and Dawn, were born to John and Lois. In 1963, they purchased the "Burr farm." In May of 1970, a son, Jason, was born. Lois continued to be a wonderful farm wife, an excellent cook and kept an immaculate house. She attended to the needs of her mother, Jessie, as well as her mother-in-law, Clara. She was also very involved in Christian service at Antelope Hills Christian Church, teaching Sunday School, ladies' Bible study group, and the ladies' extension group. Her hobbies included embroidery work, gardening, and bird watching. In later years, John and Lois wintered in Casa Grande, AZ. They later sold the Burr farm and moved to a nice home in Canby, MN in 2000. Those were very enjoyable years for them.

In 2008, John and Lois auctioned off their farm equipment and many household items and moved to Council Bluffs, Iowa, to be near their three children, who all live in Nebraska. Lois and John delighted in knowing their grandchildren and their visits meant so much to them. They lived at Risen Son Christian Village and enjoyed being closer to family. In October of 2018, John passed away. Lois continued to live in Risen Son for the next five years. During this time, Lois endured the loss of her vision and Covid isolation. She never complained, but her family knew how much she missed her dear husband. Everyone who knew Lois, from the nursing staff to her friends and family, adored her. She was a kind and caring woman with steadfast faith in God. She went home to be with the Lord on September 25, 2023.

She is preceded in death by her husband, John Mathews, her parents, Jessie and Thomas Beattie, and two brothers, Warren and Gordan Beattie, and many dear friends.

She is survived by her children, Debra (Dave) Ludwick, Dawn (Matthew) Burkett, Jason (Connie) Mathews, six grandchildren; Caleb (Prashansa) Ludwick, Erin (Michael) Schroeder, Jon (Tendai) Ludwick, Joshua (Sydney) Mathews, Cailey (Connor) Anderson and Mark Burkett, and three great-grandchildren, Selah Mathews, Ariah Mathews, and Joslyn Schroeder.