Harriet Mattfeld

Harriet (Dalby) Mattfeld, age 83, of Perham, Minn., died Monday, March 13, 2017, in Perham Living.

Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Wednesday, March 15, at Schoeneberger Funeral Home in Perham. Visitation will resume from 10-11 a.m., followed by the funeral service at 11 a.m. Thursday, March 16, at St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Perham. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Harriet Dalby was born Jan. 15, 1934, to Peder and Lila (Luchau) Dalby at the home of her grandparents in Homestead, Mont. At age 16, she married Lester Mattfeld in Glasgow. She graduated from high school and worked at Buttrey Foods while Lester went into the service. After Lester's honorable discharge from the service, they moved back to his hometown of Perham, where they raised their five children.

In 1963, she went to work for the Perham Enterprise Bulletin, and after 33 years, she retired from the newspaper. She then worked for the Perham Chamber of Commerce for two years and then spent two years working at the Perham Museum.

In 2003, she decided to run for a position on the Perham City Council and she was elected. She served for 14 years. She volunteered on the Partners in Care Council at the hospital, was president of the American Legion Auxiliary and was secretary for the Perham Lions Club where she received several awards.

She loved bowling and her artwork. She specialized mainly in portrait work in both oils and pencil. Her work was mainly for friends and family. She was also a four-time cancer survivor.

Preceding her in death were her parents; her husband, Lester; three brothers; and four grandchildren.

Survivors include her children, Paulette Ruiz and her husband, Celedonio, of Donna, Texas, Paula Helms and her husband, Gary, of Perham, Janice Preuss and her husband, John, of Madras, Ore., Betty Opelia of Vadnais Heights, Minn., and Daniel Mattfeld of Perham; 13 grandchildren; 25 great-grandchildren; 15 great-great-grandchildren; her sisters and brothers-in-law, Louella Dalby, Edith Dalby, Alvin and Margaret Mattfeld, Henry and Gladys Ramus, Ardeen Bartness, and Alice Mattfeld; one brother, Earl Dalby, of Vancouver, Wash .; numerous nieces and nephews; her honorary family, Will and Relke Lancaster family; and her special friend, Ken Cronk.

Schoeneberger Funeral Home of Perham, Minn., 218-346-5175, http://www.schoenebergerfuneralhome.com.