Leslie Matson

Leslie A. Matson, 75, of rural Cambridge, passed away on Friday, December 23, 2022. at Hammond-Henry Long Term Care, Geneseo.  Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, December 31, 2022 at the First Baptist Church of Cambridge.  Rev. John Knueppel will officiate.  Burial will be in Rosedale Cemetery, Cambridge, with military services.  Visitation will be from 3 to 6 p.m. Friday at the Church.  Memorials may be made to the Leslie Matson Memorial Fund.

Leslie Allen Matson was born February 23, 1947, in Kewanee, the son of J. Nolan and I. Laura Walkenhorst Matson.  He attended Cambridge schools and graduated from Cambridge High School in  1965.  He went to Western Illinois University and received a BS degree in Agriculture in 1969.  His marriage to Sharon Leander took place on June 25, 1967 in Cambridge.  Les taught one year in the Williamsfield High School.  He then served in the U.S. Army from 1970 to 1972.

He farmed from 1972 to 1997 in rural Cambridge.  Les then went to work for Gold Star FS in Cambridge and retired from there in 2007.  He was a member of the First Baptist Church of Cambridge, where he served on the board for several years, and was a member of the Cambridge American Legion Post.  Les served on the Cambridge School Board for 16 years.  He taught Junior High Girls Basketball for two years.

Those surviving are his wife, Sharon, a son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Jennifer Matson, Silvis, a daughter, Mindy Rapp, Franklin, Wisconsin, six grandchildren, James (Morgan), Blake, Craig, Lauren (Evan) Burge, John, and Leslie, a great grandson, Decker, and two step grandchildren, Marisa and Aramis.  Also surviving is a special friend, Lisa DePorter.  His parents and a brother, James, preceded him in death.