Mary Roed Mathiasen was born in Brush, Colorado, on June 9, 1930, to Aksel and Ingrid Sorensen. Her dad and uncle were sugar beet farmers, and she grew up happily with a younger brother and several cousins. When she was 16, she rode the train to California to visit her aunt and uncle in Solvang, Johannes and Sorine Jensen, who had a farm at the end of Fredensborg Canyon Road. She attended Atterdag College that summer and met some lifelong friends.
After high school graduation, she attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, for a semester, where she met the love of her life, Leo Mathiasen. She went home to work at a drugstore soda fountain to pay off her college loan. Was it there that she developed her lifelong love for ice cream? When Leo graduated college, they were married in 1951. They were married for 60 years until Leo's death in 2011.
They moved to Solvang in 1960 with their young children, Stanley and Janice. Leo took a job as Secretary Manager of SMID, which eventually evolved into the City of Solvang. Mary was a full time wife and mother for many years. Later, she worked in the office at Solvang School for more than 20 years. She loved her job there, and wherever she went children would say, "Hi, Mary!" She was a member of Bethania Lutheran Church and the Danish Sisterhood. In addition, she enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of various groups of friends, new and old, who would get together regularly for breakfast, coffee, and lunch. Mother loved people, especially her friends.
She is survived by her brother, Paul Sorensen, her son Stan (Melissa) Mathiasen, her daughter, Janice (Bill) Zigler, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mary's interment will be private at Solvang Cemetary followed by a celebration of life at Bethania Lutheran Church on Friday, April 28, at 2:00, with coffee to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please support Atterdag Village or Visiting Nurses and Care of Santa Barbara.
Santa Maria Times
Santa Maria, California
30 Apr 2017, Sun • Page E6
After high school graduation, she attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, for a semester, where she met the love of her life, Leo Mathiasen. She went home to work at a drugstore soda fountain to pay off her college loan. Was it there that she developed her lifelong love for ice cream? When Leo graduated college, they were married in 1951. They were married for 60 years until Leo's death in 2011.
They moved to Solvang in 1960 with their young children, Stanley and Janice. Leo took a job as Secretary Manager of SMID, which eventually evolved into the City of Solvang. Mary was a full time wife and mother for many years. Later, she worked in the office at Solvang School for more than 20 years. She loved her job there, and wherever she went children would say, "Hi, Mary!" She was a member of Bethania Lutheran Church and the Danish Sisterhood. In addition, she enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of various groups of friends, new and old, who would get together regularly for breakfast, coffee, and lunch. Mother loved people, especially her friends.
She is survived by her brother, Paul Sorensen, her son Stan (Melissa) Mathiasen, her daughter, Janice (Bill) Zigler, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mary's interment will be private at Solvang Cemetary followed by a celebration of life at Bethania Lutheran Church on Friday, April 28, at 2:00, with coffee to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please support Atterdag Village or Visiting Nurses and Care of Santa Barbara.
Santa Maria Times
Santa Maria, California
30 Apr 2017, Sun • Page E6
Mary Roed Mathiasen was born in Brush, Colorado, on June 9, 1930, to Aksel and Ingrid Sorensen. Her dad and uncle were sugar beet farmers, and she grew up happily with a younger brother and several cousins. When she was 16, she rode the train to California to visit her aunt and uncle in Solvang, Johannes and Sorine Jensen, who had a farm at the end of Fredensborg Canyon Road. She attended Atterdag College that summer and met some lifelong friends.
After high school graduation, she attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, for a semester, where she met the love of her life, Leo Mathiasen. She went home to work at a drugstore soda fountain to pay off her college loan. Was it there that she developed her lifelong love for ice cream? When Leo graduated college, they were married in 1951. They were married for 60 years until Leo's death in 2011.
They moved to Solvang in 1960 with their young children, Stanley and Janice. Leo took a job as Secretary Manager of SMID, which eventually evolved into the City of Solvang. Mary was a full time wife and mother for many years. Later, she worked in the office at Solvang School for more than 20 years. She loved her job there, and wherever she went children would say, "Hi, Mary!" She was a member of Bethania Lutheran Church and the Danish Sisterhood. In addition, she enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of various groups of friends, new and old, who would get together regularly for breakfast, coffee, and lunch. Mother loved people, especially her friends.
She is survived by her brother, Paul Sorensen, her son Stan (Melissa) Mathiasen, her daughter, Janice (Bill) Zigler, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mary's interment will be private at Solvang Cemetary followed by a celebration of life at Bethania Lutheran Church on Friday, April 28, at 2:00, with coffee to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please support Atterdag Village or Visiting Nurses and Care of Santa Barbara.
Santa Maria Times
Santa Maria, California
30 Apr 2017, Sun • Page E6
After high school graduation, she attended Grand View College in Des Moines, Iowa, for a semester, where she met the love of her life, Leo Mathiasen. She went home to work at a drugstore soda fountain to pay off her college loan. Was it there that she developed her lifelong love for ice cream? When Leo graduated college, they were married in 1951. They were married for 60 years until Leo's death in 2011.
They moved to Solvang in 1960 with their young children, Stanley and Janice. Leo took a job as Secretary Manager of SMID, which eventually evolved into the City of Solvang. Mary was a full time wife and mother for many years. Later, she worked in the office at Solvang School for more than 20 years. She loved her job there, and wherever she went children would say, "Hi, Mary!" She was a member of Bethania Lutheran Church and the Danish Sisterhood. In addition, she enjoyed the friendship and fellowship of various groups of friends, new and old, who would get together regularly for breakfast, coffee, and lunch. Mother loved people, especially her friends.
She is survived by her brother, Paul Sorensen, her son Stan (Melissa) Mathiasen, her daughter, Janice (Bill) Zigler, four grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
Mary's interment will be private at Solvang Cemetary followed by a celebration of life at Bethania Lutheran Church on Friday, April 28, at 2:00, with coffee to follow in the parish hall. In lieu of flowers, please support Atterdag Village or Visiting Nurses and Care of Santa Barbara.
Santa Maria Times
Santa Maria, California
30 Apr 2017, Sun • Page E6
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