Nancy Mattson

Nancy J Mattson, 71, of Grand Island died Saturday, December 9, 2017, at CHI St. Francis Hospital, surrounded by her loving family, following a courageous battle with cancer. Prior to the funeral service on Wednesday, December 13, 2017, there will be a luncheon at the Harmony Room, 315 N. Wheeler Grand Island between 11:30 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. The funeral service will follow at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, December 13 at Apfel Funeral Home with the Rev. Vernl Mattson officiating. Graveside service will be held at the Kearney City Cemetery in Kearney at 3:00 p.m. Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, December 12 at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Nancy Jean Van Pelt was born February 3, 1946, in rural Palmer, NE to Charles and Esther (Simonson) Van Pelt. She attended school in Palmer and graduated in 1964.

She was united in marriage to Herbert Brown, Jr. on Janauary 31, 1965, in Grand Island and to this union five children were born; Coral, Herbert III, Amber, Crystal and Misty. They made their home in Sioux City, IA; Grand Island, NE; and Urbandale, IA, before settling in Beaver Crossing, NE in 1972. Herbert, Jr was killed in an auto accident in Nov. 1983.

Nancys family was important to her, and she enjoyed watching her children and grandchildren participate in various school and college activities. She enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, word searches, jigsaw puzzles, and reading a good book.

She moved to Grand Island in 1985 where she has lived since. On February 10, 1990, she married Vonl Mattson in Grand Island, NE. She worked at Sears and for the Hall County Treasurer, Motor Vehicle Department for nearly 25 years, retiring in 2015.

She is survived by her husband of 27 years, Vonl of Grand Island; children and their spouses: Coral & Robert Grothe of Sheffield Village, OH; Herbert & Kandi Brown of Seward, NE; Amber Luther of Lincoln, NE; Crystal & Doug Schott of St. Libory, NE; and Misty Brown of Grand Island, NE; step-children and their spouses: Benjamin & Katherine Mattson of Lincoln, NE; Christie & Brian Sykora of Sioux Falls, SD; Stephen & Cherry Mattson of San Diego, CA; David & Merry Mattson of Hershey, PA; grandchildren and their significant others: Jarrod Luther & Lauren Umshler, Jamison & Cassandra Luther, Justin Grothe & Lyndsay Tyler, Brandon Grothe, Elizabeth Schott, Cody Schott, William Brown, Saoirse Mattson, Ellie Sykora, Jake Sykora, Isabella Mattson, Kevin Mattson, Annabelle Mattson and Adelina Mattson; brothers and sisters and spouses: Jay & Sondra Van Pelt; Danny Van Pelt; Mary & Glenn Fesser; Carol & Stan Corbett; Bonnie Jacobsen; Connie & Jim Taylor; Doris & Mike Cerny; two sisters-in-law and spouses: Jeannette & Bob West, Kay & Loren Tilley; one brother-in-law and spouse: Vernl & Corrine Mattson; three great-grandchildren: Makenna, Jaxton, & Aubrey; nieces, nephews and a host of other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Charles and Esther Van Pelt; husband, Herbert Brown, Jr.; mother and father-in-law, Herbert and Mary Brown; brother-in-law, Paul Jake Jacobsen; sister-in-law, Marlys Van Pelt; and mother-in-law Frieda Mattson.