Caroline Emmeline Matthies, 95, passed away on Tuesday, March 4, 2008, in St. Cloud Hospital after a brief illness. She had recently fulfilled her hope of moving back to the St. Cloud area where she was living at the Country Manor Care Home in Sartell at the time of her death.

Caroline was born on July 3, 1912, to Charles and Mary (Kapproth) Kampa in a log cabin on the family farm in the Palmer Township area of the St. Cloud/Clear Lake. She was the youngest daughter in the family of 16 children, six of whom survived to adulthood. She had many fond memories of her years on the farm. Her memories included attending school in an all-grades one roomed schoolhouse, ice skating on the family pond, and riding in horse drawn sleds across frozen fields. Sunday meals often included visitors who came to their home hoping for an invitation to stay for dinner. Mary, who Caroline always called &8220;Mama,&8221; had a wide reputation as an excellent cook and baker. Caroline inherited her mother&8217;s culinary talents, and made many delicious and nutritious meals for her appreciative family. Among her most treasured creations were her brownies and her family-recipe German potato salad. And she always had weenies and beans for grandson Randy. Her great-grandchildren also appreciated her always full candy dish.

Caroline was married to Leonard Mitchell after they met at a Valentine&8217;s dance in Minneapolis. They had one son, Russell J. Mitchell. Leonard worked on the railroad during the depression and they were bumped through the railroad seniority system to many different Minnesota and Iowa towns before settling in Albert Lea. Sadly, Leonard passed away at age of 47 from a heart attack. She later married Elmer Matthies, who was founder and majority owner of the Motor Inn Company automobile dealership. They shared 10 happy years of marriage, traveling, eating dinners out, and visiting with friends and family, before Elmer died in 1972.

She loved playing cribbage. After Elmer&8217;s death, she enjoyed weekly visits from her son Russell&8217;s best friend, Dick Lindell, who was always brought her freshly baked chocolate chip cookies to enjoy with their cribbage games. Mike and Judy Thompson generously gave of their time to care for her needs in her later years by doing her grocery shopping and visiting with her weekly. Grandson Randy Mitchell and wife Lori also did shopping and errands to help her out after she quit driving and it was more difficult for her to get around.

Caroline was a proverbs woman. She was savvy in business affairs; an exemplary cook and homemaker; always beautifully dressed and groomed; skilled not only in homemaking, but also in gardening and any kind of repair work; and well-read and interested in world affairs. She was the matriarch of the family, loved, respected, and revered by her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Her greatest gift to them was her steady, unwaivering love and devotion to her family in all circumstances. They were all blessed by having her in their family. She was wise in addition to being intelligent. Some of her favorite sayings were, &8220;It&8217;s a great life if you don&8217;t weaken.&8221; &8220;You can&8217;t give up you just have to keep on fighting.&8221; And her most humorous, &8220;Whoever called these the golden years hasn&8217;t been here.&8221;

Caroline was preceded in death by her parents, husbands Leonard Mitchell and Elmer Matthies, sisters Anna, Bert, and Elsie, and brothers Stanely and Charlie and her beloved son Russell. She is survived by grandchildren Pamela (Mitchell) Headsten, husband Bob and daughter Brianna; Randy Mitchell and children Jade Malek, Randy Gordon, and Alex Mitchell, and many great-granchildren, and special nieces, Lois Marie, Jeannie and Suzie, and a nephew, Jimmy and wife Ginny Kampa, in St. Cloud. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday at Bonnerup Funeral Service, Albert Lea. The funeral service will be at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday at St. Theodore&8217;s Catholic Church.

The Rev. James Berning will officiate. Interment will be in St. Theodore&8217;s Cemetery.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to Susan Piper of Thornecrest for her care during Caroline&8217;s stay there, to cousins Lois Marie, Jeannie, Suzie and Jimmy and his wife Ginny for being so attentive to her needs, and to great-niece Shauna, who gave her special care and attention during her stay in Sartell.