Irene Matson

February 15, 1924 - May 22, 2022

CEDAR FALLS – Irene Venita Matson, 98, of Cedar Falls, died Sunday, May 22, 2022, at the Cedar Valley Hospice Home in Waterloo. She was born on February 15, 1924, in Dike, Iowa, the daughter of Jerome and Emily (Posekany) Landau. She graduated from Cedar Falls High School in 1942. Following graduation, she moved to Kansas City, KS to work at North American Aviation building B52 bombers. On November 17, 1946, Irene married Dick Matson in Cedar Falls. He preceded her in death on April 3, 2001. She raised two daughters and after they were school age, she was employed at the University of Northern Iowa where she worked during the academic year in the cafeteria at Price Lab School, retiring in 1984. During the summers, she would travel with her husband to county fairs and festivals working with their family-owned food concession business. She could also be found ushering for athletic and special events at the UNI Dome and the McLeod Center for many years. Irene had many hobbies and interests, including bowling, swimming, camping, cake decorating, craft working, sewing and handiwork. She enjoyed flower gardening and yard work on the acreage where they lived. Irene is survived by her daughter, Barbara Jo Shepard of Cedar Falls; a granddaughter, Kelly Valiev of Cedar Falls; and two great-grandchildren, Daniel and Luke Valiev. She was preceded in death by her husband; daughter, Debra Kunkle of Oelwein; great-granddaughter, Baile Valiev; and two brothers, Carl and LeRoy Landau. Memorial services will be 11:00 a.m. Friday, June 3, 2022, at Nazareth Lutheran Church in Cedar Falls. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at church. Inurnment will be at Greenwood Cemetery in Cedar Falls. Memorials may be directed to Cedar Valley Hospice or Nazareth Lutheran Church.