Obit: Mattson, Donald (1929 - 1980)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Mattson, Fonncerada, Wall, Clark

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co., WI) 8/29/1980

Mattson, Donald (24 April 1929 – 21 April 1980) With Flag

Donald Mattson, 51, Eureka, California, a retired U.S. Navy Commander and son of Mr. and Mrs. John Mattson, Neillsville, died Thursday, August 21 at a Eureka hospital of a heart attack. He had become ill only a few hours earlier.

A memorial service was held in Eureka on Saturday and a memorial service was held at the Neillsville United Church of Christ on Monday with the Rev. Gary Clark officiating. According to his wishes the body is to be cremated and the remains scattered over the Pacific Ocean.

Commander Mattson was born April 24, 1929, in Neillsville and graduated from Neillsville High School here. While at home, he was active in the Boy Scout program, and was one of Neillsville’s early Eagle Scouts.

Following graduation from high school in 1947, he attended UW-River Falls, graduated in June 1951. He received his commission in December 1952, on completion of officer candidate school at Newport, R.I. His first tour of duty with the Navy aboard the USS Laws, homeported at San Diego, CA. In December 1955, on completion of his three-year active-duty obligation he was released to inactive duty.

He returned to active duty in October 1956, and was assigned aboard the USS Roanoke, homeported at Long Beach, CA. He then worked at a fleet anti-submarine warfare school at San Diego where he served as a first lieutenant and maintenance training officer.

From January 1961 to January 1963, he was assigned to duty at Pearl Harbor then served as an executive officer aboard the USS John A. Boie.

He attended Naval Post Graduate School at Monterey, CA, where he completed the engineering science curricula and then served as commanding officer and Captain of the USS Samuel N. Moore for two years. He returned to the U.S. Naval College at Newport, R.I., where he first studied, then later taught.

Since his retirement from the Navy, he has taught Navy ROTC at a senior high school at Eureka.

He was married in San Diego to the former Lydia Fonncerada; she died in 1964. A son, David, was killed in a mountain climbing accident three years ago at age 21. Survivors include his wife, Ellen; two daughters, Alicia and Susan, both in San Diego; three stepsons; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. John Mattson, and a sister, Mrs. Ellis (Patricia) Wall, all of Neillsville.