John Matter

John Matter, age 79, from Decorah, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, January 13, 2026, at the Highlands Nursing Home.

Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 17, 2026, at St. John’s Lutheran Church, 1638 Big Canoe Road, Decorah, Iowa, with Rev. Randy Kittelson presiding. Burial will be in the Locust cemetery at a later date.

Visitation will be from 12:00 p.m. until the time of the service at the church on Saturday afternoon.

A celebration and meal will follow the services from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the Winneshiek Wildberry Winery, 1966 337th Street, Decorah, Iowa.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Locust Cemetery.

John was born September 11, 1946, to Carol Jean (Simonson) Matter and Leonard Wilfred Matter. John graduated from Decorah High School in 1964, earned his Bachelor of Arts in history and psychology, May 1968 from Luther College, and then enlisted in the US Army. He was assigned to Fort Sam Houston in San Antonio, Texas, serving in psychiatric outpatient care at the Brook Army Medical Center.

John married his high school sweetheart, Suzanne Noecker, in 1969 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Decorah. Suzanne moved to live with John on base in Texas, where they welcomed their first child, Erica, in September 1970. After completing military duty, John and Suzanne moved back to Decorah and began a twenty-nine-year career managing and owning Matter’s Ballroom, while also farming. Jennifer, their second child, was born in Decorah in July 1976. John took great pride in the ballroom, managing a space for many different community groups to gather. He only missed two of the 3400+ events. It was a rewarding career made possible by great customers and long-lasting friendships. John sold the ballroom in July 1999.

John was also executive director of the National Ballroom and Entertainment Association for three decades. His patience, tact, and dry sense of humor, along with his knowledge of business and working with the public, served him well in this capacity. He planned the annual convention, negotiated national ballroom contracts with music licensing agencies, and handled correspondence with all the members of the association. He met ballroom operators/owners, band leaders, and dancers from all over the United States – making new good friends and business associates.

In 2001, John became the president of the Locust Cemetery Association, where family members going back to his great-grandfather and grandmother, George and Mary Matter, are buried. While president, he created a database of all the people buried at the cemetery so that family could locate loved one’s graves. He also worked with Bill Waters, the county coordinator of the website http://iagenweb.org/winneshiek, to update and keep current information regarding the Locust Cemetery.

After selling the ballroom, John went to work part-time for his good friend Clair Carolan, painting buildings, houses, and schools in the area. He enjoyed telling friends and family he painted detail on every building owned by the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum. John continued as a painter, NBEA Executive Director, and president of Locust Cemetery until his first stroke in September 2017.

John loved attending his grandchildren’s (Ryan and Dylan) wrestling matches, football, and baseball games. He also enjoyed visiting his other grandsons, Sam and Will, in Seattle, Washington. After his stroke, he wasn’t able to see them as often but through Facebook he kept in touch and cheered them on in his own way. He was very proud of his grandchildren.

John had a hemorrhagic stroke in 2017, resulting in permanent paralysis on his right side and loss of speech. He spent several months recovering (including six weeks of intensive therapy at the Gundersen Lutheran Hospital stroke clinic). John learned to walk with a hemi walker thanks to his self-determination and inner strength. He returned home February 2018 to live with Suzanne. Of all the challenges he encountered in life, John handled this last one best, with grace and dignity. He kept his sense of humor and winning smile.

John is survived by his wife Suzanne of 56 years, daughters Erica Worrell (Robb) and Jennifer Matter (Eddie Lin), four grandsons (Ryan Worrell, Dylan Worrell, Samuel Matterlin, and William Matterlin), two step-grandchildren (Miranda (Matt) Cook and Nick (Shelbi) Worrell), and two step-great grand-children (Jensyn and Bowie). Also surviving John is his brother Michael, sister Susan Kvammen (Mark), sister-in-law Bettie Fox (Les), nieces and a nephew (Kerri, Rachel, Sarah and Bill).

He was preceded in death by his parents, Leonard and Carol, mother and father in-law (Ida and Milo), sister-in-law Margo (Keith Walsh), brothers-in-law Michael Noecker and Bill Noecker.