Obituary –
NOVEMBER 30, 2019 – Art, music and academics were important in her family — her father taught math and Latin — but after meeting her husband at MCAD, she dropped out and had three kids. In 1970 her husband died unexpectedly, leaving her with no job and bills to pay. Her son, Mark Mathews, said that like her father she was a natural teacher and dove deeply into her own yoga practice, teaching classes in her basement, and then teaching at Metropolitan State University.
“She had a lot of energy and would really pursue what was meaningful to her,” said daughter Molly Mathews of Arden Hills. “She wasn’t afraid to go above and beyond and take risks; she would go after what she wanted and not back off.” Five years after losing her husband, her teenage second son, Robby, died of suicide after going through a well-respected drug and alcohol treatment program. Distraught, and baffled that the treatment didn’t work, she started researching the underlying causes of addiction. Fueled by that grief, she delved into research that convinced her that conquering addiction isn’t about stifling emotional triggers or bolstering one’s weak willpower.
