Henry Mathre

Henry Jerome (Jerry) Mathre was born October 4, 1931, in Glenwood, Minnesota. He was the youngest child of Henry and Hanna Mathre. Jerry was baptized upon birth and confirmed at Glenwood Lutheran Church. His elementary and high school education took place in the Glenwood Public Schools.

After graduating from high school in 1949, Jerry attended Luther College in Decorah, Iowa where he received a Bachelor of Arts degree. His majors were Math and Science with minors in History, Philosophy and Religion. After graduating from college, Jerry enlisted in the Army. He received his basic training at Fort Riley Kansas and advanced schooling at the Signal Corps Photography School in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey. He served in Army Intelligence at Fort Holabird in Baltimore, Maryland.

On April 3, 1954, Jerry married Nola LaRayne Hausken at Glenwood Lutheran Church. Their first years of marriage were spent in Long Branch, New Jersey and Dundalk, Maryland. Nola taught school there, while Jerry was in the United States Army Signal Corps.

In the fall of 1956, Jerry entered Luther Theological Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. While Jerry was a seminary student, they managed Luther Crest Bible Camp in Alexandria, Minnesota. The Mathres served churches in Mankato, Kansas, St. Olaf, Iowa, and Stillwater, Minnesota. He also served as a consultant at the Hazelden Chemical Dependency Treatment Center in Center City, Minnesota.

In 1970, the family moved to Oregon where Jerry completed his Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE). In 1971, the family moved to the Rochester, Minnesota area, where Jerry served as a chaplain supervisor at Rochester's Methodist and St. Mary's Hospitals. They moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1986, where Jerry served as the first supervisor of the Lutheran Clinical Pastoral Education program at St. Luke's Lutheran Hospital and Lutheran General Hospital.

In 1995, Jerry and Nola began a life of full-time traveling in their RV. Over the years they traveled most of the United States visiting friends and family. Their home base and church home were in Rockport, Texas. In January 2010, they returned to Pine Island, Minnesota,

Jerry enjoyed playing cribbage with his wife Nola and Farkle with many family members. His pride and joy were his wife, children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Jerry enjoyed spending time with family and particularly watching the many activities of his grandchildren. Jerry loved his family unconditionally! Jerry was known as the "gadget man" with cameras, computers, and social media. He will forever be remembered by "Gratitude is the Attitude of the Latitude of the Beatitudes".

Jerry is survived by his children Mark (Deb Lemmerman) Mathre of Mazeppa, Tim (Cheryl Post) Mathre of Faribault, Margo (Jim Fix) Mathre of Glendale, Arizona, Hanna (Dan) Borgschatz of Pine Island, and Laura (Travis) Dose of Pine Island; son-in-law Gary Greening of Byron; 13 grandchildren (Tiffany, Justin, Kim, Josh, Jeremy, Jacob, Lacey, Krystal, Easton, Katie, Karen, Jerad, and Brianna); 17 great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry was preceded in death by his loving wife Nola in 2010, his daughter Miriam Greening in 2003; his parents, and siblings; Marville, Martin (Red), and Sylvelin.

Services will be held at 11am on Saturday, January 11, 2024 at St. Paul Lutheran Church, 214 3rd street SW, Pine Island, Minnesota. Visitation will take place from 10am until the time of the service.

Ranfranz and Vine Funeral Home is honored to be serving the Mathre family.