Mrs. Irene Frances Matson (nee Traer) passed away peacefully on June 4, 2018 in Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre in her 101st year.

Irene was born in on December 13, 1917 in Port Arthur, Ontario to Pearl and Wilfred Traer who were early residents of the community.

Family, immediate and extended, were important to Irene. Her grandchildren remember her fondly cooking dinners and making sandwiches just for them on the beach, and playing scrabble during their wonderful summer vacations at their grandparents camp on Lake Shebandowan. She played a large loving role in their lives, supporting all of their endeavours.

Irene was educated at Port Arthur Collegiate and believed very strongly in higher education. Her early married years were spent in Pickle Crow and during the War she worked in quality control at Canada Car. She was a member of the Rebekah Lodge where she served as a Vice Noble Grand.

Irene enjoyed bridge, scrabble, knitting, gardening, curling and bowling, even in her later years. She and George were great skaters, especially together. She was fond of literature, an avid reader who like to discuss books, particularly if they were written by her granddaughter in-law Lee Kvern. A happy memory was acting in amateur theatre in Pickle Crow. She also loved to travel, visiting many European and American destinations, and her family in western Canada.

Her granddaughter Kym lived with her for several years allowing Irene to stay happily in her home before moving to Sister Lila Greco apartments. She was well looked after as a guest at many holiday dinners with Linda and Peter Huneau and Rob and Lori Traer. Bill, Colleen and Kathy Dolcetti and Donna and Tom Cava, as well as others, were also supportive.

Irene was strong minded and strong-willed. She often described herself as “stubborn Irish”. She was intelligent, thoughtful, hospitable and welcoming, open-minded, forward thinking, organized and very particular even to her 100th birthday. She was extremely independent and did things her way. Her final words of advice about how to live a good life were “Have some fun!” Irene liked people and even in old age, she made new friends. She knew how to enjoy the small things in life, a flower, a cup of tea and conversation or a country drive. She was fond of little children and her dog Cindy was a faithful companion for many years. Hers was a life well lived.

Irene is survived by her daughters, Patricia Caldwell and Beverly (Anthony) Rasporich; grandchildren, Aaron, Kym, Paul (Lee), Stefan (Angela), Leslie and Matthew and beloved great grandsons Kai, Seth and Finn; sister June Gardiner, many nieces and nephews, her “sidekick” Heather Batson and friend Beatrice Samas.

She was predeceased by her loving husband George Matson; brothers Earl (Peggy) and Gordon (Helen) Traer; sisters, Jean (Lorne) Coghlan and Marion (Alfred) Dolcetti; son in-law Don Caldwell; brothers in-law Ernie (Julie) Matson and Roy Gardiner and her in-laws Julius and Olga Matson.

Special thanks to Donna and Tom Cava, and Kathy Dolcetti for organizing Irene‘s 100th birthday. To Heather Batson for her extraordinary friendship and to Dr. Exley the staff of Lila Greco and the nurses of 2C at TBRHSC for their superior care.

Funeral services for the late Mrs. Irene Matson will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, June 8, 2018 in the EVEREST FUNERAL CHAPEL, 299 Waverley St. at Algoma, with the Rev. Neil Otke officiating. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery.

If friends so desire, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Trinity Lutheran Church or a charity of your choice.