Matthiessen, Devonna 'Dee' Lee

Devonna “Dee” Lee Matthiessen, 74, of Monticello, Iowa, died Thursday, April 28, 2011, at her home following a long battle with ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease).

Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 13, 2011, at Kramer Funeral Home in Monticello where a service will be held at 7 p.m.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, May 14, 2011, at St. Francis Xavier Basilica in Dyersville, Iowa. Inurnment will be at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., at a later date.

Dee was born Dec. 15, 1936, the daughter of Raymond and Mildred (Mason) Hyde in Anamosa, Iowa. She attended Anamosa Schools and graduated in 1954. She earned a Bachelor of Music degree from Loretto Heights College in Denver, Colo., and a Master of Arts from the University of Iowa.

She married Major C.J. “Jim” Matthiessen on Jan. 30, 1961, in Waterloo, Iowa. During Jim's Army career, they lived in Alabama, Alaska (where she earned a pilot's license), Colorado (where she skied and began her family), and Stuttgart, Germany, before returning to Iowa following Jim's retirement from the Army.

Dee's musical gifts were shared with the entire community. She taught private piano lessons her entire adult life and taught elementary music in the Monticello schools for 25 years. She spent many hours encouraging her children's musical talents, driving to lessons and accompanying them on the piano. She traveled to every continent except Antarctica with a special group of friends, and was active in Needlepoint Club, Piano Club, PEO, and Delphian Club. She was a consummate hostess, opening her home to friends even after her diagnosis limited her mobility. Her strength and courage in the face of her challenges were an inspiration to everyone around her.

Surviving are her children, Mark Matthiessen of New Haven, Conn., and Marilee (Steve) Kline of Pittsburgh, Pa.; stepchildren, Marti (Gregg) Laird of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Jamie Matthiessen of New Milford, Conn.; four grandchildren, Rachel (Todd) Carozza of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Peter and Dana Matthiessen of Brooklyn, N.Y., and James Kline of Pittsburgh, Pa.; two great-grandchildren, Olivia and Daniel Carozza; a brother, Stephen (Nilda) Hyde of Blaine, Wash.; as well as nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, C.J.; and sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Richard and Marilee Bonwell.

The family would like to thank Above and Beyond Home Health Care and Hospice and Dee's dedicated aides and many friends for the wonderful care they provided Dee.