Meet Our Caring Team

Susan, an Ohio native, graduated with a Bachelor of Mortuary Science degree from the Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science in 1998.  Following graduation, Susan served a one-year apprenticeship in Southern Iowa, before moving to Mason City, Iowa where she served as a licensed funeral director for three years.  

Susan moved to Forest Lake in 2003 to carry on the tradition of professional service to area families.  She considers it a privilege and honor to be given the opportunity to carry on what the Mattson Family began over 100 years ago.  

Susan lives in Forest Lake and enjoys being a part of the community.  She is a member of the Church of Saint Peter and a regular attendee at Eagle Brook Church – Lino Lakes Campus; you will find her and her son, Alden ushering and volunteering there several times a month.  In her free time, Susan enjoys reading, traveling, cheering for her son on the local baseball fields, riding roller coasters; and most importantly spending time with family and friends, including her two miniature dachshunds, Summer and Winter.  

Jessica joined the team at Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service in 2011. She attended the University of Minnesota Program of Mortuary Science, where she graduated in 2015 with a bachelor's degree.

Jessica grew up in Coon Rapids and graduated from Legacy Christian Academy High School in Andover, Minnesota, Class of 2011. 

In 2016, Jessica married her high school sweetheart, Joe Dukich. Joe proudly served his country in the United States Marine Corps.  Together they live in Forest Lake, raising two future Forest Lake Ranger Hockey boys, Owen and Henry. 

In her free time, Jessica enjoys spending time oil painting, antiquing, and spending time with her family. Every fall, she enjoys getting out in the woods for the deer hunting season.

Jessica’s goal is to help and support families through the entire funeral process.

Kelly was born in Montana and graduated from Anaconda High School in Anaconda, Montana. She moved to Forest Lake in 1987, where she continues to live with her husband, Mark. Kelly has been an important part of our staff at the funeral home since 1998, when she began as a funeral assistant. Since that time, Kelly’s dedication to families has grown, and she is now able to provide continued care for families during as well as following the service. As Aftercare Coordinator, Kelly is available to provide support, as well as resources, to help families better understand the grieving process. Kelly states, “Long after family and friends have returned to normal schedules, you may still feel a need to talk to someone who will listen and understand; we are only a phone call away.” Kelly is able to provide families with valuable resources such as books on grief and contacts with local grief support providers and/or support groups.

Kelly and Mark are proud parents of Ryan (Cortney) and Jonny. Kelly is a member of the Church of Saint Peter, Forest Lake, where she volunteers her time for various church activities. She is also active in the “Busy Hands for Love” Knitter’s group at the funeral home.  In addition to her church and funeral home activities, Kelly loves reading, mowing lawn, rooting on the Minnesota Twins, watching movies, and spending time with her grandchildren.

Denny joined the staff at Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service in 2005. As a member of the support staff, Denny provides assistance in many areas at the funeral home, including visitations and funerals. He grew up on a farm near Renville, Minnesota and is a graduate of Renville High School. Denny has two sons, and he and his wife Nancy live in Wyoming Township. They both retired from 3M in 2002 after lengthy careers with the company. 

Denny is a member of the Wyoming United Methodist Church, where he has served on many committees, and active as a Certified Lay Speaker. He is also a long-time volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, having served as a Scoutmaster and District Advancement Chair. Denny is the past District Chair for the Sunrise River District. 

Denny and Nancy's leisure activities include hiking, traveling and square dancing with the Jolly Promenader Square Dance Club of Forest Lake. Denny also enjoys spending time in the woods, hunting deer and wild turkeys. 

As a member of the support staff, Vicki provides assistance in many areas at the funeral home, including visitations and funerals. 

Vicki and her husband, Denny, have lived in Wyoming over forty years. Together they have two sons, two daughters-in-law and five grandchildren. Their family is the highlight of their lives. 

Vicki is a hairstylist and owns a home-based salon. She is an active member of the Church of Saint Peter, Forest Lake, and also serves in pastoral care at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Columbia Heights. Vicki is a certified spiritual director trained through Sacred Ground Center for Spirituality; listening ministry has always been at the core of who she is. Vicki believes that to be listened to by another, with an ear to the Holy, is where all healing and growth begin.

Vicki enjoys swimming, gardening, camping and just plain spending time in the sun.

Corliss joined the staff at Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service in 2019 and provides assistance in many areas, including visitations and funerals. As a lifelong resident of Forest Lake, she considers her familiarity with the people and the area to be an asset to serving the community.

Corliss is a 1977 graduate of Forest Lake High School. She graduated from Gustavus Adolphus College in 1981 and Bethel Seminary in 2006. Her empathy and desire to serve led to a 13-year career in the Admissions Department at Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge in Minneapolis. She and her husband, Ty, now reside in Chisago City, MN and enjoy retirement with their two adult children and grandchildren who live close by.

When she is not at the funeral home or spending time with family, Corliss enjoys reading, fishing, leading bible studies, and assisting the chaplain at the local nursing home. She and Ty have been traveling and camping with their trailer during summer months for 35 of their 42 years together. During winters, they light up the fireplace and watch movies. Corliss is an active member of Linwood Covenant Church where she pursues a variety of opportunities to serve others.

Butch joined the staff at Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service in 2022 and provides assistance in many areas, including visitations and funerals. Butch grew up in Minneapolis and is a graduate of Marshall High School in Dinkytown. He has lived in Wyoming, Minnesota, with his wife, Connie, for over 30 years. Together they have two children. Butch worked in the sheet metal industry for 45 years before joining the Mattson team following his retirement. In his free time, he enjoys hunting, working in the yard, four-wheeling, and shooting.  Above all, Butch loves time with his family. You will often find him and Connie at the sidelines of every event their grandson is involved in.

Sue Joined the staff at Mattson Funeral Home & Cremation Service in 2021 to provide assistance with many duties at the funeral home, including visitations and funerals. 

Sue has lived in Forest Lake off and on for much of her life; she graduated from Forest Lake High School, raised her sons in Forest Lake, and moved back to Forest Lake with her husband, Jeff, in 2013.  Together they have five sons, five daughters-in- law, and 11 grandchildren spread out across the United States. Family is everything to them and they make trips to visit family whenever they can.

Sue is retired from a 30-year career in Cardiology, first at Regions Hospital, then at GE Healthcare out of Milwaukee Wisconsin.  She earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix.  She feels that her work in healthcare alongside hospital staff to care for patients is a natural progression to care for and support families at the funeral home as they move through the process of honoring and remembering their loved ones.

In her leisure time, she is a multi-media artist who works in a variety of mediums including clay, polymer clay, salt dough, stained glass, oil and acrylic paints, wood carving, quilting, fiber arts, etc.  Sue and Jeff also enjoy gardening, traveling the US and the world, hiking, biking, camping, music, dancing, and family.  

Denny joined the Mattson Funeral Home family in 2007. He manages and maintains the funeral home grounds and all of the vehicles. Denny and his wife, Vicki, have lived in Wyoming for over forty years. Together they have two sons, two daughters-in-law, and five grandchildren. Their family is the highlight of their lives. Denny owned and operated a home construction company for many years. He is a member of the Church of Saint Peter, Forest Lake. In his free time, Denny loves spending time at his pool, camping, gardening, and visiting with family and friends.

The Mattson Funeral Home has been a part of Neil’s life for many years. Neil grew up in funeral service, and purchased the family funeral home from his from his parents, Archie and Mildred in 1965. Neil and his wife Mabel, along with their family, continued the Mattson tradition of providing compassionate, professional funeral service to the families of Forest Lake. 

In 1993, Neil and Mabel sold the funeral home to the Vertin family of Breckenridge, Minnesota, while Neil remained active as a partial owner of the funeral home. The Mattson and Vertin families had known each other for many years - both personally and professionally, as the Vertin’s were close relatives of the late J.B. and Nellie Weisser of Forest Lake. Mabel passed away in 2015.  

Neil continues to be an active member of the Forest Lake community. He enjoys travel and being a part of his grandchildren's lives.  Neil is an active member of the Forest Lake Masonic Lodge 344, Faith Lutheran Church, and Global Health. 

Duane has been a very important part of our support staff at the funeral home since 1997. He provides assistance in many areas at the funeral home, including visitations and funerals. 

Duane was born in Comstock, Wisconsin and moved to Forest Lake when Duane was five years old. He is a graduate of Forest Lake High School. Duane and his wife Janet have three daughters and one grandson. Duane retired from Capp Homes where he worked in home construction for 34 years. He is a member of Elim Lutheran Church. He is an Eagle Scout and a longtime volunteer with the Boy Scouts of America, having served as a Scoutmaster for many years. Duane is a member of the Forest Lake Masonic Lodge 344. He also serves the Forest Lake community on the Forest Lake Planning and Zoning Commission. 

Duane's leisure activities include many hours tracing family roots and genealogy, along with where they lived and from whom the property was purchased. He also enjoys time spent outdoors, whether mowing his five acre lawn or feeding birds of all sizes, fishing, camping, traveling, and helping his daughters with their "Fix-Fix" jobs.