Mary Lou G. Mattila 1947 - 2025

Mary Lou G. Mattila, beloved Mother, Nana, Great-Nana, and cherished friend, received her Heavenly Crown on May 5, 2025, after a life defined by resilience, faith, and extraordinary compassion. She was 78 years young, a radiant example of what it means to live a life of purpose, praise, and perseverance. She leaves behind a powerful legacy of resilience, faith, and unconditional love.

Born the middle child of 10 siblings, Mary Lou emerged from a childhood marked by adversity with a spirit that refused to be broken. Despite a home shadowed by pain, she grew into a woman of unshakable strength and luminous hope—an overcomer in every sense.

In 1966, Mary Lou followed her heart to San Francisco, where her journey of motherhood began with the birth of her beloved daughter, Candace: her first jewel. Even when faced with heartbreak and rejection, Mary Lou returned home with courage, embracing her new role as a mother with fierce love and unrelenting grace.

In 1968, her life took a new turn when she began attending Pastor’s Bible Study. Within weeks, she met and married her husband, Bob; a whirlwind union that would last 55 years and bring three more of Mary Lou’s jewels into the world: Rob, Dorea, and Ben. Through the challenges and storms of marriage, Mary Lou anchored her home with faith, music, and immeasurable love.

Mary Lou’s legacy is perhaps most beautifully captured in her lifelong ministry. A founding member of both the Word of Life Choir and the Word of Life Fellowship Church, she served as the church’s first secretary and helped lay its foundation, literally and spiritually. She was the typist behind every sermon note, the soprano whose voice lifted hearts, and the heart behind the harmony of the Voices of Praise, a trio that ministered through music for over 50 years. Her gift of song echoed weekly—sometimes twice weekly—bringing joy, comfort, and praise into the lives of all who heard her.

Beyond the church walls, Mary Lou embodied service. She worked at Sonora Community Hospital for over 42 years, offering care, stability, and a kind smile to patients and coworkers alike. She returned to college later in life, balancing full-time work with education, and in 2023, at 76 years old, earned her Bachelor’s Degree, a lifelong dream fulfilled.

She was also a woman of action and compassion. Whether crocheting prayer shawls for cancer patients or founding her own end-of-life care business, Mary Lou saw needs and met them with love. Her hands were rarely idle, always busy creating, comforting, and serving.

Mary Lou’s proudest title was “Nana”—and eventually, “Great-Nana.” She poured her love into her six grandchildren, Emily, Eric, Christian, Annabelle, Charles, and Audrey, and met her great-granddaughter, Hannah Ann-Marie, in 2024, blessing a new generation with her gentle warmth and endless devotion.

From Redwood City to Mi-Wuk Village, from hospital rooms to church pews, Mary Lou’s life was a symphony of service, courage, and unwavering faith. She sang through the storms, gave when it cost her something, and lived her life poured out for others.

She is now reunited with her Lord and Savior Jesus, whom she loved and served so faithfully—her voice no doubt soaring in eternal praise.

Well done, good and faithful servant.

Your melody remains in every heart you touched.

On November 3, 2024, Mary Lou married Bill Mattila of Carlton, Oregon. In her last six months, she enjoyed a new-found love and enjoyment of country living. Mary Lou was an active member of Baker Creek Community Church in McMinnville, Oregon. On Mary Lou’s fifth month in Oregon, she was diagnosed with an advanced stage of cancer and passed to her eternal home in her sleep at 7:04 a.m. on May 5, 2025. She will be missed by all those she touched in her faithful life.