BioA: Mattila, Victor & Selma (50^th - 1957)

Contact: Stan

Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Mattila, Schultz, Saarinen, Maki, Marr, Melender, Laakso, Wilson, Kalep, Hawks, McGuire, Blodget, Garces

----Source: OWEN ENTERPRISE (Owen, Clark County, Wis.) 07/25/1957

Mattila, Victor & Selma (50^th - 21 JUL 1957)

The Golden Wedding celebration of Mr. and Mrs. Victor Mattila of Withee (Clark Co., Wis.) was held in the Bethany Lutheran Church of Owen on Sunday, July 21, 1957.  Mr. and Mrs. Mattila attended the Holy Communion service of the congregation at 9 a.m.  The reunion dinner was served by the laides at 12 noon in the church parlors.  Miss Audrey Laakso played a medley of sacred hymns on the organ as the people congregated into the church for the program honoring the Mr. and Mrs. Mattila.  A traditional wedding song was sung by the Finnish speaking audience, followed by the "Lord’s Prayer," played as a solo on the piano by a granddaughter, Diana Schultz; Mrs. John Saarinen spoke in Finnish and read the life history of the honored couple in both languages; Mrs. Selma Maki recited a golden wedding poem; Miss Audrey Laakso sang a solo, "Oh, Perfect Love," accompanied by Mrs. Saarinen; a piano "Prayer in the Twilight" was played by another granddaughter, Carolyn Marr; The Mother Singers of the Bethany Lutheran Church sang two selections.  Rev. John Saarinen spoke in English and pronounced the Benediction especially upon Mr. and Mrs.Victor Mattila and their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Lunch was served from beautifully decorated tables in gold and white with a centerpiece of a bouquet of yellow rose buds and a three-tiered wedding cake.  Mr. and Mrs. Mattila were the recipients of very many beautiful gifts and also a sum of cash.

Victor Eric Mattila and Selma Melender were united in marriage in 1907 in Finland and in the fall of 1908 Mr. Mattila came to America, his wife joined him the following June.  They settled in Stambough, Mich., as Mr. Mattila was employed in the iron mines.  In March 1915 they moved to a farm northeast of Owen where they lived until 1944, when they moved to their present home between Owen and Withee.

The honored Mr. and Mrs. Mattila have seven children, all of whom were present at the festivities, one son Toivo and six daughters, Sylvia, Lilly, Vieno, Irja, Elsie and Ina.  The following are the names of the children and their families present:  Mr. and Mrs. Toivo Mattila and daughter Patricia of Waukegan, Ill.; Mrs. Raymond Marr and daughters, Carolyn and Evelyn of Cincinnati, Ohio; Mrs. Lilly Wilson, son Fred, and daughter Norma; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Kalepp, Jr., of Abbotsford; Mrs. Dean Hawks (Dorothy) Wilson of Horicon, Wis. was unable to be present because of the birth of a new baby, a great-grandson to the Matillas; Mr. and Mrs. Anthony McGuire and children, Kathryn and John of Highland Park, Ill.; Mr. and Mrs. Curtiss Blodget and children, Terrance and Pamela of Thorp; Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Schultz and children, David, Diana and Brian of Curtiss; Mr. and Mrs. Lynn Garces and children, Victor, Selina, Carmen and Marsha of Milwaukee.  Eighteen grandchildren in all, and of the four great-grandchildren, only Kim Kalep could be present.

Also unable to attend was one grandson and family, Peter McGuire of Burbank, Calif.