Margaret Mattson Sewall

Margaret Mattson Sewall, 90, of Cromwell, passed away on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 in Villa Vista Care Center. She will be dearly missed. She was born January 1, 1925, in Cromwell to Konsta and Ellen (Heikkila) Westerlund. Margaret attended Eagle Lake Grade School and graduated from Cromwell High School in 1943. She married Leonard Mattson of Floodwood in September of 1943. They first moved to Duluth and in 1946 to Minneapolis. Margaret worked for Precision Associates for over 25 years in the production of O-rings, a large percent going to NASA for spaceships. With the marriage of her only daughter, Kathleen, to a Swiss in 1971, her move to Switzerland was emotionally hard for Margaret. Over the years she flew around 15 times to visit her "Swiss" family. Cromwell became her second home when her brother, George, built them a cabin on Island Lake. After Leonard died, driving up north in the winter was a trial. George introduced her to Doug Sewall of St. Louis Park who drove Margaret to Cromwell during the winter months. Both were lucky to find love a second time and they were married in July of 1981. Upon retirement, the homes in Minneapolis were sold and the happy move to Cromwell was made in 1987. Margaret taught Doug to dance and from that moment on, they hardly took off their dancing shoes. Visiting friends and relatives had top priority. With retirement, they became MN Snowbirds and spent three months every year in Tempe, AZ for over 20 years until aging prevented the long drive. Every day was filled with visiting friends, meeting new ones and dancing their days away. Margaret loved to cook and bake. Her apple pies were special as many who received them, would attest to. Always having worked full time she always found time to make bread or pulla, cakes or cookies. Her decorated doll cakes for daughter, Kathleen's, birthdays were always a highlight. Fishing, canning tomatoes and beans from their garden and picking raspberries kept them busy. In her 80's, Margaret had several major surgeries plus an arm injury all which she survived surprisingly well. Then Margaret's memory slowly began to fade and signs of dementia prevented her from remaining in her dear home. The move to the Villa Vista Care Center came in April, 2015. Margaret was preceded in death by her first husband, Leonard Mattson; her parents; her infant brother; her two brothers, Leo and George; and her step-son, Jim Sewall. Margaret is survived by her loving husband, Doug Sewall; daughter, Kathleen (Urs) Eggenschwiler; three granddaughters, Julie (Potis Dimopoulos) Eggenschwiler, Susanne (Othmar) Rueegg and Ariane (Nenad Lukic) Eggenschwiler; six great-grandchildren, Danae, Fiona, Liam, Lilly, Amely and Vivien; step-daughter, Diane Sewall; three step-grandchildren, Rachel (Nick) McCarthy, Dustin Harkins, Jim Sewall; two step-great-grandchildren, Cailyn and Savannah; brother-in-law, Harry (Carmen) Mattson of San Francisco; sister-in-law, Ann Westerlund of Circle Pines; special nephew, Robert (Eileen) Westerlund of Cloquet, Tommy Westerlund of White Bear Lake; nieces, Mary Ellen (Dick) Strauss of Lino Lakes, Carol Westerlund of Jarvenpaa, Finland; many nieces, nephews and cousins. Kathleen wishes to thank her step-dad, Doug, dearly for all the loving care he gave her mom. The family wishes to extend a special thanks for the caring staff of Villa Vista Care Center and Dr. Bode who took care of her over the years and especially these past months. Visitation: 2 until the 3 p.m. Funeral Service on Sunday, November 8, 2015 in the Atkins Northland Funeral Home, 801 14th St., Cloquet, followed by a luncheon in the Fireside Room of the funeral home. Private family burial will be in Eagle Lake Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Villa Vista Care Center, Cromwell, MN. To sign the guest book or leave an online tribute, see www.atkinsnorthlandfuneralhome.com