Myrtle Thelma (Berg) Mattern, the daughter of Bennie and Ruth (Swenson) Berg was born in the rural Pierce County farm home of her parents on November 2, 1922.  She died at the age of 92 years on Friday, October 9, 2015 at the Heart of America Care Center in Rugby, North Dakota.

Myrtle was reared in the rural homes of her parents, first in Pierce County and then in Rolette County where she attended a rural school near her home.  She completed her education at Rugby High School.  On December 29, 1941, she was united in marriage to Joe S. Mattern in Rugby.  Following their marriage the couple made their home on the Mattern Family farm in East Barton Township, Pierce County.  Joe was drafted into World War II in 1942, serving in the Pacific war theater of operation and safely returned home to Myrtle and the family farm.  Myrtle and Joe farmed the land and raised a small dairy herd hand-in-hand and raised their children and Joe’s younger brother, Lawrence in East Barton Township.  The couple retired into Rugby in 1980.  Joe died April 22, 1987.  Following his death, Myrtle remained in her own home until she took residency at the Care Center in early 2013.

A loving wife, mother, grandmother and homemaker, Myrtle took great pride in her home, was an avid reader, making sure all her grand and greatgrandchildren knew the nursery rhymes, and was a wonderful caregiver to those that needed, loved to cook, was a gracious hostess and enjoyed a longtime membership at St. Paul Lutheran in Rugby.

Survivors include her children, Joe R. and his wife, Beatrice and Joan “Joni” Harmel and her husband, Doug, all of Rugby; nine grandchildren; twenty-three greatgrandchildren; a sister, Gladys Sanden and a sister-in-law, Theresa Gronvold, both of Rugby; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and dear friends.  She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband; great granddaughter, Sierra Harmel; brothers, Stan (Muriel) Berg, Marvin (Lucille) Berg and Ralph (Tena) Berg; and a brother-in-law, Ernest Sanden.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday, October 13^th at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Rugby with burial in the Persilla Watts Cemetery, Rugby.  Pastor Joshua Reimche, officiating.

Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday in the Anderson Funeral Home, Rugby.  There will be no reviewal in the church on Tuesday.