Elma H. Schwartz of Montrose, CA, passed away suddenly on January 16, 2020. She was also a longtime resident of the Glendale area. Elma was born in New Castle, PA to William and Lempi Honkonen. At the age of three, her parents relocated to Northern Minnesota where Elma resided until moving to Glendale in 1981. Elma attended college at the Duluth Vocational School of Nursing. She worked as a nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital in Duluth and at Solheim Senior Community in Eagle Rock for several years. Elma was a kind loving person, who despite numerous challenges in her life, always persevered. She was a loving Mother who always put her family first and a surrogate Mom to many. Elma was an avid reader and a longtime parishioner at St. James the Less Catholic Church.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husbands, Willmar Matsen, Ruben Stammen and Fred Schwartz, daughter-in-law, Evelyn Matsen, grandson, Wahren Agonoy, and great grandson, Andrew Matsen. Elma is survived by her family, William Matsen of Minnetonka, MN; Bruce and Ronald Matsen-Wing of Glendale, CA; Bryan Matsen of Monroe, WA and grandsons, Brent Matsen of La Port, MN and Jeremy Matsen of Denver, CO.
Visitation will be held on Friday, January 31st from 4pm – 8pm at Glendale Funeral Home, 511 S. Central Ave., Glendale. The Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Saturday, February 1st at 11:30am at St. James the Less Church, 4625 Dunsmore Ave., La Crescenta. Inurnment at Forest Lawn Glendale will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Glendale Humane Society in Elma’s name. May she rest in peace.
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