My mother, Maria Christine Mattson, was born November 6, 1969 to Victor and Christine Mattson of Portland, Oregon. She was the oldest of their four children. From an early age Maria had a love for music and dance, but family was always her number one priority. She worked her ass off to provide for us. She put us first, even when that was the harder choice for her. She loved fiercely and never gave up. 

As a child Maria spent countless hours with her grandparents and great-grandparents. She played soccer and took ballet. Maria loved dance so much that she dedicated most of her youth to it. She attended Jefferson High School where she danced with the prestigious group, The Jefferson Dancers, right up until I was born when she was 16. It may have stopped her dance career, but it didn’t slow her down. At 18 she graduated with her class with me on her hip, and my sister in utero. That’s a feat even by today’s standards with all the programs and virtual learning, I can only imagine how hard it would have been in the 80’s. By the time she was 20, she was the momma of 3 with my brother arriving in the summer of 1990.

When we were growing up, she worked long and hard hours, eventually earning her place in our extensive family line of Longshoremen. As hard as she worked, she still found time to play and do things with us kids. We went camping, hiking, riding, rafting, rockhounding, geocaching, and more. From the mountains to the coast to the dunes, we explored it all as often as possible. She especially loved finding shells or pretty rocks to keep as souvenirs, adding them to the bowl of others back at home.

In addition to teaching us her work ethic and sense of adventure, she encouraged us to pursue our own passions. No matter how often we changed our minds or how crazy the ideas seemed she was here for it. I’ve been a scientist, an artist, a singer, a writer, a chef, a teacher, and then some. If we were happy, she was happy. She was our number one fan, front and center at every performance or game. Not just there because she had to be, but because she wanted to be. Win or lose- she’d be the loud mom in front, wearing all the team colors, and yelling at the ref. Yeah, she’s that mom.

She taught us by example her love for everyone and her kindness to all. It’s no secret why she was loved by so many. I don’t think she ever met a stranger and was always ready to lend a hand. Whether to her brothers and sisters on the picket line, extended family in tough spot, or the homeless guy that hung out at the exit from the highway on her way to work; she always wanted to help. I don’t know if anyone knew, because she didn’t do it for praise, but she packed an extra lunch for that homeless man every day that she worked there. Not only did she pack him lunch, but she also worried when he wasn’t there. That’s the kind of person she was. The kind that regularly feeds and prays for a stranger on the side of the road the same as if he were a friend or family.

October 17th 2003, she suffered an aneurysm and spent her 34th birthday in the hospital. Our world was flipped upside down. She never gave up. Through all of the therapies, the pain, and the limited mobility she held on and pushed forward. She was always future-oriented, planning and working for a better tomorrow. Though it looked a little different, she was still front and center at our performances and games. She still wore her team colors and cheered loudly. She still fought for us when we needed her to and supported us in all of our shenanigans.

Fast forwarding to the more recent history, she was an awesome grandma too. She was there when the kids were born. She held and fed them when they were little. She rode them around in her wheelchair and played all of their imaginative games. Buckets on our heads? Give her the purple one. You want to race? Ok but don’t cry when grandma puts her chair in rabbit speed and kicks your butt. Boxing? Grandma wins by TKO! She sang songs with them and shared stories and watched movies all snuggled up, just like she had done with us when we were little. She loved her grandkids infinitely and unconditionally.

Maria is survived by her mother Christine, her sisters Heidi, Sarah, and Ginger, her brother Victor (Matt,) her children Rachel, Ashley, and Jacob, her eight grandchildren, several nieces and nephew, and numerous bonus kids. She is preceded in death by her father Victor, her nephew Cory, and Cousins Andy and Aubie. I know I speak for our whole family when I say that our lives have all been touched by my mom in some way. 

If I were to write everything inspiring my mom ever did, it would be full novel length. Maybe someday I will, but for now, the most important things she taught us were how to live for today and be present, hope for tomorrow and work hard to make it better than today, and love fiercely always. And of course, to cheer for the team that drives my grandma the craziest… Gooooo COWBOYS! *Insert middle finger here* 

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/maria-mattson/obituary/

Copy