Birth Date:
1956-07-24
Graduation year:
1974
Deceased Date:
2023-08-26
Obituary:
Ellie Matson, 67, of Sioux Falls, South Dakota passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, August 26, 2023, at Bethany Home in Sioux Falls. A celebration of life visitation will take place from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m., Saturday, September 9, 2023, at George Boom Funeral Home & On-Site Crematory in Sioux Falls.
Ellie (Easterhouse) Matson, daughter of Jerry and Polly (Poe) Easterhouse was born July 24th, 1956, in Sioux Falls. Growing up Ellie enjoyed summers with friends at Guthrie Grove Church camps and retreats. She had very strong faith in her church, The Reorganized Church of Latter-Day Saints, or Community of Christ. Her fondest childhood memories were those spent with grandparents and cousins, which were always filled with love and blessings. She graduated from Lincoln High School with the class of 1974 and later attended the University of South Dakota. In high school, she met the love of her life Barry Matson, and in June of 1978, they were united in marriage. They were blessed with two children, Beau and Megan. Ellie worked as a teller for the majority of her life. She worked at First National Bank, Valley National, and finally at Norwest Bank (Wells Fargo).
“Eccentric Ellie” was always dressed to the nines, and never went anywhere without a full face of makeup and jewelry on, even if it was just to get the mail. She was born with a passion for fashion. Ellie’s siblings remember her as a young child wearing footie pajamas, clear plastic high heels, a mink stole, a crown, bracelets, and necklaces. She was born this way. Her children recall spending their younger years in dressing rooms, sometimes until the lights turned off and doors were locked. No matter the occasion, Ellie always had the head-to-toe look.
Throughout Ellie’s life she showed a remarkable ability to fight through many medical problems, type two diabetes, beating breast cancer twice, spinal meningitis, osteoporosis, a traumatic brain injury, a broken sacrum, and many other things. Despite the health issues Ellie faced she never lost her exceptional resilience and strength.
Most of all, Ellie loved her family and cherished time with her two children and six grandchildren. Her free time was spent with the lights of her life, her grandkids. Ellie was given the name “Geebee” by her first granddaughter, Taylor, and that title remained with the following five. Her loving personality for family and friends was matched with a contagious laugh and warm smile.
Left to cherish her memory are her husband, Barry Matson of Sioux Falls; children, Beau (Lacey Neuroth) Matson and Megan (Nick) Kriz of Sioux Falls; six grandchildren, Taylor, Ava, Brody, Kinslee, Carter, and Kane; siblings, Leslie Easterhouse of Jefferson City, MO, Sallie (Doug) Schwandt of Columbia, MO, Katie (Dan) Loftus of Hayes, KS, and Eric (Jewels) Easterhouse of Madison, WI; mother-in-law, Barb Matson (Cliff Hicks) of Sioux Falls; and a host of extended family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Jerry and Polly Easterhouse; father-in-law, Richard Matson; and grandparents, Dacy and Dallas Poe, Hank and Hazel Easterhouse, Martin and Margaret Sommervold, and Roy and Viola Matson.