Obituary of Elvera Matthiesen Rolfes

Elvera Elizabeth Matthiesen Rolfes was born October 23, 1921 in Clay County, Iowa, the daughter of Peter and Lucy (Wohlenberg) Matthiesen. She attended grade school in Everly and graduated from high school in Harris, Iowa. Elvera was united in marriage to Leonard Matthiesen on January 1, 1941 in Spirit Lake, Iowa. After Leonard returned from WW II, they moved to a farm east of Lake Park where they lived for nineteen years. The family then moved to a farm southwest of Lake Park before moving to town in 1980. Leonard passed away in 1991. She was then married to Virgil Rolfes on May 10, 1998. She helped on the farm, worked at Berkleys for fifteen years and worked at Carstensens Meat and Processing for five years. She was baptized as an adult in May City, Iowa in the Lutheran Church. She was a member of Concordia Lutheran Church, taught Sunday School for fifteen years and was a member of the Ladies Guild. In January, 2008, Elvera moved to the Lake Park Care Center. She enjoyed playing cards, board games and visiting with family and friends. Elvera passed away on April 27, 2008 at the Lake Park Care Center in Lake Park, Iowa at eighty-six years of age. She is survived by her daughter, Leyla Fischer and her husband, Gordon of Lakefield, Minnesota; six grandchildren, Velinda (Tom) Schrepel, Valerie (Bob) Gordon, Dorie (Scott) Lund, Dodie (Jesse) Walsh, Marc Matthiesen and Amy McClellan; six great-grandchildren; the Rolfes family and many nieces, nephews and friends. Also surviving are siblings, Lyla Akkerman (Ray), Bill Matthiesen (Donna) and Orpha (Joe) Matthiesen. She was preceded in death by her husbands, Leonard and Virgil; son, Larry, parents, siblings, Verl Matthiesen, Velma Gregg, and Jack Matthiesen, and great-grandson, Jonathon Walsh.