Jean Matt of Plummer, MN passed away on July, 24, 2017 at Oakland Park Communities in Thief River Falls, MN, at the age of 94.

Funeral services will be held at 10:00 am on Thursday, July 27, 2017 at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Plummer, MN, with Rev. Jonathan Dodson officiating.  Interment will follow at the Finnish Cemetery, Plummer, MN.

There will be a prayer service on Wednesday, July 26, 2017 at 7:00 PM with visitation from 5:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Plummer.  Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the funeral on Friday at the Church.

Jean Eloise Matt was born November 4, 1922 in rural Kloten, Field Township, Nelson County, ND, to Oswald K. and Mabel Hanson Ophaug.  She attended rural school and graduated from Aneta High School in 1940.  After graduating from the Union Commercial College in Grand Forks, with a bookkeeping degree, she was employed by Valley Motor Company in Grand Forks.

She married Hubert L. Matt on August 19, 1945 at Our Saviors Lutheran Church rural Kloten and they purchased a hardware store in Plummer, MN, which became known as M & O Hardware.  In 1954 it was renamed Matt Hardware.  Also at this time she accepted a position as secretary to the Superintendent of Schools in Plummer.  In 1960 she was employed by the Department of Employment for Minnesota State and later Northland Community College in Thief River Falls as Executive Secretary retiring in June 1981.  She continued working with her husband in the hardware business until he passed away September 21, 1991.  She sold the inventory in 1992, but retained ownership of the building.  She gifted the building to the Plummer School to be used as a recreational center for the youth of the community and a latchkey facility.

She was a strong supporter and donor of getting the Tri-River Pioneer Museum up and going.  She was an active member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Sons of Norway, Charter Member of the American Legion Auxiliary and served on many community projects.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and sister, Lora Saunders.  She is survived by foster sister, Helen (Charles) Gehrke and nieces, Elizabeth Saunders Dietrich, Stephanie Gehrke Engberg, Patricia Gehrke Wiest and Janelle Gehrke and nephew, Robert Webb, along with many friends.