Sandra Mattson

Sandra “Sandy” Jean Mattson entered heaven's gates on September 23, 2022, to be embraced by her husband, unborn daughter, and loved ones that had preceded her in death. Sandy was just one day shy of her 81st birthday and passed away at the Iron River Care Center. She was a loving and caring wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, friend, and nurse. Sandy was born to Theodore and Allie (Maki) Stefanovich on September 24, 1941. Sandy grew up in Stambaugh and was a proud Stambaugh Hilltopper. Sandy married Robert “Bob” Elver Mattson (not a Hilltopper) on October 3, 1958, at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Stambaugh, MI. Sandy graduated from Northern Michigan University, in May of 1974 with a degree in Nursing. She worked as an LPN in the ICU at the Iron County General Hospital for more than 24 years. When new laws prevented her from working the ICU she so loved. Sandy then dedicated nine years of service to the Iron River Care Center and six years to the Iron County Medical Care Facility where she worked the Alzheimer's unit until she retired in 2013. Sandy was passionate about nursing and compassionate in her care. Sandy had a wide array of hobbies and interests. She could out fish any man, she enjoyed hunting, shooting, and going camping. Many weekends were spent taking her grandchildren bird hunting down the back roads, fishing trips to Canada, going to camp in her younger years, crafting, basket weaving, line dancing, playing a mean game of Smear, and challenging her grandkids to a game of Cribbage, which she had taught them all how to play. Sandy was a die-hard Lions fan and because she loved her sister, Jan, so much she declared she was a die-hard Spartans fan as well. Above all things, Sandy’s greatest pride and joy in life was her family. She was blessed with two sons Richard and Mark, nine grandchildren, and twenty-five great grandchildren. Not a weekend went by where there wasn’t one, two, or all nine grandchildren sleeping in her living room. Sandy’s every non-working hour was dedicated to her family. From holiday get-togethers to one-on-one outings, waterparks, or just enjoying a meal and conversation. Sandy was an avid Wykon fan and never missed a game. She enjoyed watching her grandchildren play any sport and never missed a game. Sandy also traveled to attend her son Richie's bodybuilding contests where she would cheer him on and congratulate him on his successes. Sandy was proud of her son Mark's call to ministry and his devotion to preach God's word as Sandy was also firm in her beliefs and her Christianity. Sandy was a lifelong member of the Trinity Lutheran Church in Iron River and enjoyed teaching Sunday school for many years. Sandy was preceded in death by her husband Bob, mother and father Allie and Ted, father-in-law Elver “Weeds” Mattson, mother-in-law Marian (Hyostek) Mattson, brothers-in-law Jerome and James Mattson, and an unborn daughter, Pamela was to be her name. Sandy is survived by her two sons, Richard (Cindy) Mattson and Mark (Kelly) Mattson, both of Iron River; nine grandchildren, Jason (Sharon), Mattson of Iron River, Jeremy (Dana) Mattson of Canton, MI, Jenny (Jessi) Mattson of Iron River, Rob (Kristin) Mattson of Orlando, Fl, Josh (Jess) Mattson of Belleville, MI, Tanya Mattson of Iron River, Jamie (Samantha) Mattson of Foster City, Sheena (Dupy) Elich of Iron River, and Indie (Adam) Clements of Iron River; twenty-five great grandchildren; two loving sisters, Jan Colville and Chris Langenberg, both of Iron River; and one niece, Erin Langenberg of Harvey, MI. The family would also like to include Sandy’s lifelong friends who made ordinary moments in life extraordinary. Thank you, Dorothy Barnette, Fannie Gallup, Arlene Kaufmann, Gail Stachowicz, Pat Turner, and Jane Maki. A very special thank you to the Iron River Care Center’s CNAs and Nurses for the extraordinary and compassionate care Sandy received during her years there. A very warm thank you to Jill Nocerini, DNP for her compassionate care during Sandy’s final days with us. A visitation will be held on Saturday, October 22, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Iron River. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m. with Andy Hill, LLM to officiate. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Sandra Mattson, please visit our flower store.