The youngest of 12 children. Leroy grew up in Wrenshall, Carlton County, Minnesota on his parents' farm. There he met his wife.
Leroy married Donna Marie Johnson on September 14, 1957. They had two children in Carlton County, and then they relocated to Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona, where they had their third child, me. On October 18, 1964, Donna, and what was to be their fourth child, were killed in an automobile accident. She was only 25, about four months pregnant and was a passenger in a car driven by a drunk driver.
Family says that Leroy was never the same after that day; that he "lost his mind." Marilyn remembers Gramma taking her to the hospital to visit him, and all you could see were his eyes. He was in a full body cast for a very long time after the accident. Afterwards, he married Wahala E. Cygan aka Taylor in Imperial, California.
He took his own life two and a half years after the death of Donna; he was only 31 years old. He and Donna left three children behind:
Marilyn and Mike were raised in Arizona with our maternal grandparents, Melvin Frank and Josepha Helen (Kennebeck) Johnson. I was adopted by a maternal uncle and his wife, Richard Anthony and Lorraine Marie (Kriske) Johnson. I grew up in Wisconsin.
The youngest of 12 children. Leroy grew up in Wrenshall, Carlton County, Minnesota on his parents' farm. There he met his wife.
Leroy married Donna Marie Johnson on September 14, 1957. They had two children in Carlton County, and then they relocated to Yuma, Yuma County, Arizona, where they had their third child, me. On October 18, 1964, Donna, and what was to be their fourth child, were killed in an automobile accident. She was only 25, about four months pregnant and was a passenger in a car driven by a drunk driver.
Family says that Leroy was never the same after that day; that he "lost his mind." Marilyn remembers Gramma taking her to the hospital to visit him, and all you could see were his eyes. He was in a full body cast for a very long time after the accident. Afterwards, he married Wahala E. Cygan aka Taylor in Imperial, California.
He took his own life two and a half years after the death of Donna; he was only 31 years old. He and Donna left three children behind:
Marilyn and Mike were raised in Arizona with our maternal grandparents, Melvin Frank and Josepha Helen (Kennebeck) Johnson. I was adopted by a maternal uncle and his wife, Richard Anthony and Lorraine Marie (Kriske) Johnson. I grew up in Wisconsin.
Gravesite Details
Date on cemetery marker is the date his burial was to take place. My dad died June 30, 1967. It has been said by several family members that he is not buried here; that his second wife had him buried before the scheduled funeral somewhere else.
Family Members
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Morris Joseph "Maurice" Matten
1908–1918
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William Antonius Matten
1909–1999
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Laura Mary Matten Bandle
1911–1934
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Omer Arthur Matten
1912–1913
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Omer Harold Matteen
1916–2005
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Simone Martha Matten Anderson
1917–2000
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Julius Matten
1921–1996
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Marie Matten
1923–1923
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Clarence Joseph Matten
1929–1998
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Clara Ann Matten Bulfer
1929–2020
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Morris "Sonny" Matten
1930–2019
