Margaret T. (Mohr) Mattke

PORTAGE –   Margaret T. (Mohr) Mattke, age 103, passed away, at the Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena on Saturday, February 4, 2012, surrounded by her loving family.

Margaret was born in Cambria on December 28, 1908, the daughter of George and Ida (Schliesman) Mohr.  She was married to Edward F. Mattke in Portage on May 29, 1930.  Margaret graduated from Cambria High School in 1926.  She attended Columbia County Teacher’s College and UW-Stevens Point.  Her first teaching position, at age 18 (August 1927), was at the rural Inglehart School (Town of Randolph), teaching all eight grades.  Her teaching career included Stearns School-Town of Newport, Hillside, Dog Hollow, Oak Hill Schools of Caledonia and the Portage School district in 1958 teaching first grade, retiring in 1970.  Margaret was a member of the St. Mary Parish, Columbian Ladies, Columbia County Area Retired Educators Association, Wisconsin Retired Educators Association, and National Retired Teachers Association. 

Margaret is survived by her sons, Edward F. “Fran” (Jean) Mattke, Portage, and Phillip J. (Ruth) Mattke, Portage; three grandchildren, Rita (Michael) LaVigne, Carl (Kelly Allen) Mattke, and Michael Mattke, all of Portage; four great-grandchildren, Zachary LaVigne, Benjamin LaVigne, Mason Mattke, and Miranda Mattke; her sisters-in-law, Clara Mohr, Madison, and Ruth Mattke, Sheboygan; nieces, nephews, other relatives and many close friends.  Margaret was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Edward F. Mattke, Sr., on January 27, 1998, a sister, Maureen Zahn, and a brother, Glen Mohr. 

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 a.m., on Friday, February 10, 2012, at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Portage with Fr. Jim Murphy presiding, with inurnment to follow in St. Mary Catholic Cemetery.  Visitation will be held on Friday at the church from 10:00 a.m. until the time of the Mass.  The Pflanz Mantey Mendrala Funeral Home in Portage is assisting the family.

Memorials may be made to Columbia Health Care Center Foundation, Inc., or the Apostolate to the Handicapped.

The family would like to express their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Amy Strain and also to the wonderful caring staff of the Columbia Health Care Center in Wyocena where Margaret resided for the past six years.