Chizue Mattson's Obituary
Chizue "Chico" Mattson, 89 of Sumner, WA died peacefully on Dec.10, 2020 at her residence.
Chico was born to parents Tokuta and Shigano in Fukuoka, Japan in 1931.
She met and married Samuel Stratton Mattson in Japan in 1945 and was able to come to the United States in 1957, where they lived in Whittier, CA. She attended college and worked hard to not only speak English, but also to read and write English. She was very proud to become an American citizen. She gave birth to son David there in California and they later moved to Lakewood, WA , where she resided for most of her adult life.
Chico worked as a waitress but was most known and recognized for her work at the Fort Lewis Lodge.
For many years, she was active at the Lakewood Baptist Church and enjoyed her volunteer work at the food bank. She was very passionate about
sewing and gardening. She was known to spend from sun up to sun down weeding and tinkering among her fruit trees and plants. She was also a collector of many things, some from her homeland of Japan and some from their explorations of the United States. She was also a very loving mother to her son David and loved her grandchildren, and great grandchildren.
Chico was predeceased by her husband Sam, and her parents. She is survived by her son David (Melissa), two grandchildren, Patricia & Katie Respalie; three great grandchildren, Steven Flanagin, Arabella Respalie and Thomas Barnes; one great great grandson, Killian Perdue-Flanagin and one nephew, Eugene (Maura) Mattson.
The family expresses appreciation to Elizabeth Stone, owner and caregivers at the Mountainview Adult Family Home and to the many physicians and
nurses who have participated in her care.
She will be laid to rest at the Mountain View Memorial Park Cemetery. A celebration of life will be held at the family home at a later (to be determined date) once pandemic restrictions have been reduced.
Memorial donations may be made to either the ASPCA, the Alzheimers Foundation of America or the Pierce County Food Bank.
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