Obituary-Theda Mattson Weston

 

Theda Mattson Weston was born April 19th, 1927 in St. Charles, Idaho to Myrtle Mina Bunderson and Chauncey Leslie Mattson. Growing up third in a family of seven children, Theda was her mother’s helper, looking after and cooking for her younger siblings. A child of The Great Depression, she spoke of food stamps and searching for loose change to buy candy to share with her family. She loved outings to the dry farm with her dad and going on picnics at Bear Lake.

Theda walked to school every day with her siblings. A teacher’s pet, she loved learning, getting high marks and earning several awards, including “Neither Absent nor Tardy” in 1934. She graduated from the LDS Seminary and Fielding High School May 24th, 1945.

With hair flowing down the middle of her back, Theda grew into a beautiful young woman. As a teenager, she worked as a ticket taker at the local movie theater and was crowned queen of the Green Ball, which she made her own dress for—the same dress she later wore to her wedding.

Theda met the love of her life, a 1st lieutenant and bomber pilot recently returned from World War II, at a community dance. Theda married George Wesley “Wes” Weston August 20th, 1946. They moved in with his parents for a short time before securing a little home with a small wood stove for heat. As Wes was often snowed in for days at a time while feeding cows along the Bear River, she bundled up their first child, George, and spent a lot of time at her parent’s home.

More children soon followed—six in all, an even split between three boys and three girls. By name, George Terrill, Samuel M, Thomas J, Christine, Alice, and Shelly. All her energy was taken up cooking, cleaning, washing, sewing, and trying to keep Tommy and Sammy out of trouble. Not to mention the time she spent feeding the ranch’s hired hands.

Theda had a gift of making something from nothing. Soil and seeds turned into abundant gardens and flowers. Flour and sugar became cinnamon rolls neighbors fought over at bake sales. Bits of fabric and yarn became clothing for her children, blankets for their beds, and beautiful Afghans, quilts, and doilies, which she often gave away as gifts. But she was most proud of the rowdy children who became pillars of the community and dedicated parents themselves.

Theda endured many hardships in her 96 years. In addition to surviving The Great Depression and World War II, she had to endure her youngest daughter’s major car accident, which left her in a coma for a month. Her home nearly burned down and had to be completely renovated. While doing genealogy work, she and her daughter, Chris, were shot and survived the SLC Family History Library mass shooting. She also outlived her husband by 20 years and buried four of her children and two grandchildren.

July 4th, 2023 was her Independence Day. Free from pain and worry, she danced into the loving arms of her husband and children. She will be dearly missed by her surviving children, Alice Weston (Kent) Argyle and Shelly Weston Mettman, and daughter-in-law Cathy Weston and son-in-law Chuck Webb. She was preceded in death by her husband; George Wesley Weston; children, George Terrill Weston, Sam M Weston, Thomas J Weston, and Christine Weston Webb; grandchildren, Justin Dane Hutchinson and Benjamin Samuel Weston and son in law El Mettman.

Viewings were on Sunday evening July 9th from 6-8. and Monday morning July 10th from 9:30—10:45. Funeral services were held on Monday morning at 11. in the Laketown LDS Church. Interment following at the Laketown Cemetery.