Loreen Hansen Matkin – Great grandmother

            This lady was known as “the greatest mother there ever was, patient, loving, and enduring,” as Lorna Matkin quoted.  My Aunt Kathy Palmer stated, “She was the kind of person who did everything to the very best of her ability and that included being a grandmother, mother, wife, sister, daughter, neighbor and friend.”

            Loreen was raised in humble circumstances with ten other children in the family.  I find it so touching to read that Christmas was a frugal time and they considered them lucky to have an orange in their Christmas stocking.  I find that part so refreshing because we over give at Christmas time.  I also find it interesting to read that they loved going to the fair.  Before going to the fair they would rub buttermilk on their faces to bleach their tans.  I actually try to make myself look tan by putting tanning cream on my face.  Times have changed.

            My aunt recalls grandmother Loreen very kind and giving.  Lorna states that her mother would always eat the neck or the back of the chicken.  She always thought that she enjoyed that part, but as she grew older she realized that she was leaving the choice pieces for her family.

            As a young girl her father had a heart attack leaving ten young children and one on the way.  Loreen had to quit school at ten and go to work to help provide for the family.  She learned as she worked with the Jacobs family that they never spoke mean or unkind words about anyone and she put that practice into her own life.

            She was married and they also lived a frugal life.  They were known for eating much rice and canned milk.  These kind of statements make me consider how lucky we are in our life.  She had three small children and one on the way when her husband was called on a mission.  Loreen once stated, “The Lord could have taken him for good, be He only asked for him for 2 ½ years.”  What faith this lady had!

            I realized how she kept her home so immaculate.  She did not drive and had a terrible experience learning how.  She didn’t go all over town like I seem to do instead of caring for my home.  My Aunt Kathy said in her later years when she had cancer that “One Saturday I went over to help her and cleaned a closet and washed the floor.  She said that was the first time she’d had help like that.  She kept house very clean, but she was always happy to have you come and mess it up.”

After one of her babies Loreen had problems with her nerves.  She would cry and say it was nothing.  She started to memorize poems after this too.

            She was a very caring woman.  She took care of her mother who had a stroke and needed much care.  It was remembered she would call out frequently through the night to go to the bathroom.  Also her husband was confined to the bed too with his heart problems.  One night she asked the Lord, “How much longer?” and the voice came back, “Not much longer Loreen.”  When her mother passed she put herself on a guilt trip and had bad times with her nerves again.  But it seems that she loves caring for people.  My own mother states that she loves caring for people and have recently had thoughts of doing foster care. 

            My Aunt Kathy stated how Loreen loved giving gifts to her grandchildren.  She would work hard to get each of her grandchildren gifts for their birthday.