Leonard Richard Mattson

Leonard Richard (Dick) Mattson of Warrenton December 8, 1934 - June 27, 2016 Dick Mattson passed away unexpectedly June 27, 2016 at Good Samaritan hospital in Portland. Dick was born December 8, 1934 in St. Mary's hospital in Astoria, Oregon to Hjalmer and Mae Mattson. Dick attended the Warrenton schools and was the valedictorian at his high school graduation. First and foremost, Dick was a Christian. His greatest pleasure was praying for others. He would close his eyes and let the spirit guide his words. Dick worked since the age of twelve when his father started the family business, the Airport Crabpot Company. Dick and his brother Jim, eventually purchased the company from their father and made it very successful selling crabpots from California to Alaska and having 27 employees at one time. Dick served two years in the US Army and was stationed in Orleans, France and a short time in Berret, Lebanon. Dick was an outdoorsman and loved hunting, fishing, trapping, clamming and hiking. Several of ideas he submitted through the years to the Fish and Wildlife to improve their regulations were adopted. Dick worked hard to get his elk each year. He and his brother Jim, made numerous camping trips to the cascades, eastern Oregon and Idaho. They also made a trip to the Olympic National Forest and British Columbia. Dick loved sports. He was a Portland Trail Blazer and Seattle Seahawk fan and enjoyed watching golf tournaments on TV. Reading was a passion of Dick's. He had a large collection of historical books featuring Indians, explorers, pioneers and adventures of all sorts. When dick's home burned down, he designed and supervised the building of his new home and immediately started collecting books for his new library. Dick enjoyed writing articles about "The Good Old Days" for the Columbia Press and had notebooks of stories and poems he had written about his own experiences and thoughts. Gardening was another interest of Dick's. He loved working in his yard and had thousands of daffodils blooming each spring. Dick was preceded in death by his father, Hjalmer Mattson, his mother and stepfather, Mae and James Rhoedes, brother, Arthur Roy Mattson and sister Helen Sodervick. He is survived by his brother Jim Mattson (Helen), sister Judy Mattson, nieces Jeanne Ball (Gary), Karen Layton (John), and Margie Merritt. Nephews Raymond, John, Bob, Dave Sodervick, Aunt Helen Salli and several cousins in Minnesota and California. A memorial service is pending.

Funeral Home:
Hughes-Ransom Mortuary Astoria
576 12th St
Astoria, OR 97103