Mea Mathies, 47

Mea Mathies (Mary Anderson) died Oct. 22, 2021, at her home in Geyser, Mont., in a brutal murder-suicide committed by her husband Joseph Mathies. She was 47.

A memorial service was held at her parents’ lake home near Perham June 24-26 with more than 100 people attending.

Mea was born Sept. 21, 1974, to Glen and Lorna (Erickson) Anderson. She grew up on the family farm near Louisburg with Karla, Lee and Kristi. She attended school in Bellingham, and Mounds View in Arden Hills. She attended her last two years of high school at Lac qui Parle Valley, living with her brother Lee Anderson, and graduating in 1993. Lac qui Parle Valley was special to her as it was a newly merged high school that was one of her dad’s prime legislative accomplishments.

Mea attended the University of Minnesota in Kinesiology. She worked for Lifetime Fitness and in home health care. She moved to Perham in 2001. She was a CNA at the Perham Hospital, worked at the PACC, and was pool manager at Thumper Pond. Her son Thor (Phoenix Anderson) was born in 2003; he is now 18. Mea and Joseph Mathies were married in 2012, and they had two children Mathilda, now 9, and Vernon, now 7. They moved to Montana and lived in Reed Point and Geyser. Today, Phoenix is living with his grandparents Glen and Lorna Anderson, and Mathilda and Vernon live with their Aunt Kristi Karels. All are in counseling to deal with this traumatic event in their lives.

During her entire lifetime, Mea bubbled with enthusiasm while helping others. She looked positively at everything, and was always happy. Mea was a valued caregiver for area veterans in Montana. Her first love was her children, bringing them with her when she worked in Big Timber, visiting the library and swimming pool in Stanford, and spending hours at the playground in Geyser. She also enjoyed gardening, sewing, baking, and thrift shopping.

Mea was preceded in death by her grandparents, as well as aunts and uncles.

She is survived by her children; parents; siblings Karla Anderson, Lee (and Jody Sheppard) Anderson of Alma Center, Wisc., and Kristi (and Nick) Karels of Perham; many friends and other relatives.