Death was attributed to an apparent heart attack. He was 74 years of age. His parents were the late Mr. and Mrs. Hans and Cathrina (Kraack) Matthiessen.

He came with his parents from Iowa in 1912, and settled on a farm near Belgrade, Nebraska.

He served in the Army during World War I.

On September 24, 1919, he married Anna Frenzen at Fullerton. The couple farmed near Belgrade and also resided in Fullerton before moving to Grand Island where he was employed at the Ordnance Plant and at a service station until his retirement in 1964.

Surviving besides his wife are two sons, Marvin Matthiessen of Grand Island and Wayne Matthiessen, stationed at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha; two daughters, Mrs. Lloyd (Darlene) Woods of Burbank, California, and Mrs. Douglas (LaVern) Schwensen of Lancaster, California; 12 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. William Emmitt of Redwood City, California; a step-sister, Mrs. Anna Campbell of Green Acres, Washington.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother.

Funeral services were conducted June 12 in the Apfel-Butler-Gedges Funeral Home at Grand Island by Rev. Paul Martin, pastor of Trinity United Methodist Church of Grand Island. Pallbearers were Wayne Radcliffe, Erving Phillips, Max Boersen, Leland Luebbe, Henry Schoening, and Jimmy Johnson.

Military graveside rites were conducted by members of the Fullerton American Legion Post. Burial was in the Fullerton Cemetery, Fullerton, Nebraska.