Joan Bell Matkin, our beloved wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away on Wednesday, June 12th, 2013, at the Franklin County Medical Center in Preston Idaho at the age of 83.
Joan was born in Lava Hot Springs on April 12th, 1930 and was the only child born to Marion and Vera Larsen Bell. She attended school in Lava and graduated from Lava High School. Joan served an LDS mission to the Raleigh North Carolina Mission in 1951. She was married to her eternal partner, Fenton A. Matkin, May 12th, 1959 in the Logan Utah Temple and they were blessed with 2 daughters, Mary Ann and Myrtle. They lived most of their lives in Swan Lake Idaho where they owned and operated a small dairy farm. Joan cared for her daughter Mary Ann until her death in November of 2000 and Fenton passed away in August of 2001. Joan then moved to Preston Idaho in 2004.
Joan loved reading, she appreciated good books, and she especially enjoyed her friends and family and spent much of her time corresponding with them by phone and mail. She was an avid letter writer and kept in contact with many of them with weekly letters. Her favorite thing was spending time with her grandchildren and even adopted several neighbor children as her grandchildren, who she treated like her own, several of whom still call her grandma Matkin.
She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and found much joy in her service. She served many years as the Ward Librarian and as a Relief Society Teacher.
She is survived by her daughter, Myrtle (John) Youngman; granddaughter, Heidi (Austin) Keller; great-grandchild, Elli Keller (and one due any day) all of Preston Idaho.
She was preceded in death by her parents; Marion and Vera Larsen Bell; by her husband, Fenton; daughter, Mary Ann Matkin.
Funeral services will be held on Monday, June 17th, 2013 at 12:00 noon at the Swan Lake Ward Chapel, Swan Lake Idaho with Bishop Alan Kay presiding. Viewing will be held prior to services from 10:30-11:45 a.m. Interment will be in the Swan Lake Cemetery. Funeral services are under the direction of Horsley’s Marsh Valley Funeral Home. The family wishes to express their heartfelt thanks for the exceptional care and compassion rendered to Joan by staff at Franklin County Medical Center and to Dr. Lynn Eskelson.