Miriam Matthiesen

Miriam Matthiesen died peacefully at home on Tuesday, the 27th of January 2015, in Houston, Texas. She was born and raised in Plymouth County, Iowa. In 1953, she married her childhood sweetheart, Garvin C. Matthiesen. Following their wedding, Miriam and Garvin moved to Indianapolis, Indiana, where their first child, David, was born. In 1957, when Garvin's career with Allied Chemical took him to Manhattan, Miriam and Garvin moved to New Jersey, where their daughter, JoAnn, was born. Miriam loved the years she spent in New Jersey, raising her family, spending summers at the beach at Sandy Hook, and boating on the Navesink River near Middletown, New Jersey. In 1972, Miriam and Garvin moved to Houston where she lived for most of the next 42 years. Before Garvin's death in 1994, they were happily married for 41 years.

Miriam loved spending time with her family and many friends. She was an avid and knowledgeable sports fan, and attended many Rice Owls baseball games, as well as professional sports games. She enjoyed exploring and learning, and took many classes at the Houston Women's Institute and Rice University. Although Miriam and her husband traveled around the world twice and visited six continents, she never forgot her Iowa roots and made frequent trips to visit her family and friends in Iowa.

Miriam was predeceased by her husband, Garvin C. Matthiesen, her parents, John and Christine Manson, and her older brother, John Manson, who was killed in combat during World War II. She is survived by her son, David Matthiesen and wife, Andrea, and her daughter, JoAnn Matthiesen and husband, John Rawls, all of Houston.

She is also survived by her grandchildren, Christopher Matthiesen and his wife, Schuyler, Kate Matthiesen, Jennifer Singh and her husband, Brian, and her step grandsons, Nicholas and A.J. Rawls. Her sister Mildred Morton and her brother Gene Manson also survive her, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

The family would like to thank Patricia Ervin, Tiffany Ervin, Sheryl Turner and Teresa Criswell and the Houston Hospice for the compassionate care they provided during her final illness.

A Memorial Service is to be conducted at half-past three o’clock in the afternoon on Friday, the 30th of January, in the Chapel of Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church, 11612 Memorial Drive in Houston, where Rev. Rick Myers, Associate Pastor of Caring Ministries is to officiate. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception to be held in the church parlor.

Prior to the service, the family will have gathered for a private interment at Glenwood Cemetery.

In lieu of customary remembrances, memorial contributions may be directed to the Monarch School, 2815 Rosefield Drive, Houston, TX, 77080.